US Army Space and Missile Defense Command works on nano satellites

August 12, 2015

Maine News Online:

According to reports, the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Armed Forces Strategic Command is experimenting with nano satellites, which could lead to change in the way soldiers carry out operations in the field.

As per Thomas Webber, SMDC Space and Strategic Systems Director, Nano Satellites are basically small satellites.

He is not overstating that. As per reports, the average nano satellite is roughly 12″X4″X4″ and functions in low Earth orbit and the small satellites are completely functional, however they don’t have some limits as a result of their size.

Webber said that they are not made to last much long or offer the same large capability. However, the capability provided by them could save life. Military radios converse line-of-site meaning, when soldiers cannot communicate with each other when they are on different sides of a building or mountain. Lack of communication in theater could also be a threat for life sometimes.

However, the Army is without a doubt the biggest user of capabilities related to space; in general, satellite communication is not a choice for the reason that the antennas on the radios are not sufficiently strong.

Webber gave explanation when he was showing a standard Army radio. He said, “These can’t communicate with a geo-stationary or a geo-synchronous satellite 22,000 miles away, so what these signals do have is enough strength to get to a nano sat in low Earth orbit”. He added that it gives same capability to communicate on the other side of a mountain.

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