Rohde & Schwarz has announced enhanced measurement options across its testing equipment portfolio to meet the unique requirements of advanced, next-generation satellite networks. Telesat, one of the world’s largest and most innovative satellite operators, has been leveraging Rohde & Schwarz’s advanced testing equipment to optimise service link design of its Telesat Lightspeed light earth orbit (LEO) network. Telesat Lightspeed aims to revolutionise global satellite connectivity by providing ubiquitous, affordable, high-capacity links at fibre-like speeds, with global service anticipated by the end of 2027.
Commenting on the announcement, Gerald Tietscher, vice president, Signal Generators, Power Supplies and Meters at Rohde & Schwarz, said, “At Rohde & Schwarz, we are proud to collaborate with visionary companies like Telesat, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in satellite connectivity. Our work on the Telesat Lightspeed project exemplifies how innovative test and measurement solutions can accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies, ultimately transforming global communications. The seamless integration of our high-end test equipment into this project underscores our commitment to delivering precise, reproducible results – a crucial factor for the reliable operation of LEO networks.”
Telesat uses the Rohde & Schwarz signal generator R&S SMW and spectrum and signal analyser R&S FSW to qualify and verify new radio frequency (RF) chipsets and satellite modems across multiple vendors. The instruments are employed for testing receiver chipsets, as well as comprehensive evaluation and verification of modem performance for multiple waveforms, notably DVB-S2X and DVB-RCS2. These unique test capabilities ensure the integrity and reliability of highest data throughput rates of the Telesat Lightspeed constellation.
The collaboration with Telesat led to new product enhancements to support testing advanced capabilities of the Telesat Lightspeed network, including Beam Hopping and Superframe, DVB-RCS2 with return channels that are larger than what has previously been available in satellite network deployments.
Further, the advanced functionalities developed by Rohde & Schwarz assist not only in the development and testing of Telesat Lightspeed satellites’ onboard processors, but also serve the broader Telesat ecosystem, including modem and chipset manufacturers.
Meanwhile, Aneesh Dalvi, vice president, Lightspeed Systems Development, Telesat, said, “Rohde & Schwarz’s innovative products that support the Telesat Lightspeed waveform capability are a key enabler for validating system performance prior to the availability of production satellites and ground terminals. The integration of Rohde & Schwarz test equipment into our LEO development labs allows Telesat to build automated development and test environments to support 24/7 availability for onsite and remote testing.”
