European researchers have developed a new method for providing mobile communication in disaster areas. The concept involves the use of tiny 3D-printed satellites that are attached to balloons.
According to the participating universities and institutes from Spain and Luxembourg, the Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, the University of Luxembourg and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, a cube-shaped “CubeSat” can be printed and made ready for launch within 90 minutes. They use a LoRa radio link to create a kind of emergency Internet connection.
The mini satellites are equipped with sensors, GPS, small solar panels and batteries. According to the researchers, the rapid production process makes it possible to respond to emergencies at short notice and allow rescue teams to coordinate on site.
Unlike large satellites, the “CubeSats” are easy and inexpensive to produce. The scientists see great potential in the combination with 3D printing to secure communication after natural disasters or in remote areas and save lives.
The scientific work was published in Aerospace under the title “LoRa-Based Low-Cost Nanosatellite for Emerging Communication Networks in Complex Scenarios“.
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