Hispasat (Spain)

This paper presents a comprehensive performance evaluation of 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) as defined by the 3GPP Release 17 standard, with a focus on laboratory emulations and field trials using a geostationary satellite. We show initial laboratory tests, conducted with modems and a channel emulator, emulated various satellite orbits to assess communication latency, random access procedures, and system performance in controlled conditions. These tests provided valuable insights into potential communication challenges before transitioning to field trials. Field tests were performed with a dedicated transponder on a real geostationary satellite, evaluating performance metrics such as latency and throughput in both uplink and downlink channels. Results conducted with connection-less transport protocols indicate that while downlink throughput remains fairly stable across different altitudes, uplink performance degrades with increasing altitude, primarily due to increased latency from scheduling request delays. This trend is accentuated by employing connection-oriented transport protocols without accelerators. The findings confirm the feasibility of 5G NTN with satisfactory downlink performance, while highlighting the challenges in maintaining consistent uplink throughput at higher altitudes.

The communication services of future trains require hyperconnectivity between trains and track. Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) reserved bands will not be able to cover all digital train requirements including passengers’ services. The 5GMED project adopts the idea where Infrastructure Managers (IMs) will collaborate with Railway Undertaking (RU) to facilitate the connectivity to Mobile Network Operator (MNO) communication services and vice versa (complemented with the use of satellite networks), with an architecture open to build new business models and relationships between stakeholders. This approach encompasses an adaptative Gigabit train-to-track connectivity solution able to fit Digital Train requirements. The 5GMED project will demonstrate these capabilities through four representative services deployed on a TGV of SNCF (French Train Operator) in a challenging scenario: a cross-border section of the Mediterranean corridor between Figueres (Spain) and Perpignan (France).

Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) and Future Railway Mobile Communications System (FRMCS) use cases present strict requirements in terms of service end-to-end latencies, data rates, reliability and service availability, posing challenges in the design of 5G network architectures for cross- border scenarios, where current roaming mechanisms introduce large latencies and service disruption times. The EU-funded Horizon 2020 5GMED project proposes a novel 5G network architecture for the Mediterranean corridor cross-border between Spain and France, where the challenges imposed by CAM and FRMCS in cross-border scenarios are addressed. In this paper, we describe cross-border challenges and present the 5GMED network architecture that will be deployed and evaluated in largescale trials.

The usage of QKD protocols through the current terrestrial infrastructure is limited to a hundred kilometers due to attenuation problems with fiber. This implies that the satellite will be necessary for the transmission of quantum keys in order to avoid these terrestrial limitations. Therefore, the current debate does not lie in the need for the satellite but rather in what type of infrastructure will be best suited, and specifically the usage of GEO vs LEO satellites. This analysis is not trivial and should not consider only the link budgets and the physical layer as it has been done up to date. It should also consider even more important factors, as the service KPIs that the end user will request such as key rate, availability, security of the keys and their maintenance, etc., as well as the possible communications architectures to provide the service. Therefore, the analysis should introduce the market oriented component, and provide the optimal solutions based on the scenarios and requirements requested by the customer. In this frame, and under ESA ARTES funding, a Spanish consortium led by Hispasat is defining an operational GEO QKD mission that shall fly as hosted payload in 2025. The quantum communications payload proposed in this mission represents a step beyond the state of the art since it is the first implementation of a quantum key distribution channel from geostationary orbit. This new service will involve the implementation of a complete communications system not currently available that will require the development of new technological elements and the adaptation for their operation in space of technologies such as photon sources, telescopes for optical communications compatible with quantum state transmission or processors for the distillation of quantum keys, as well as a whole new ground segment to control and manage the new quantum key distribution service and its integration into a future European secure quantum communications network. Details of the challenges and approach of this mission shall be presented

Real‐world evidence (RWE) is emerging as a fundamental component of the post‐marketing evaluation of medicinal products. Even though the focus on RWE studies has increased in Colombia, the availability of secondary data sources to perform this type of research is not well documented. Thus, we aimed at identifying and characterizing secondary data sources available in Colombia. We performed a systematic literature review on PubMed, EMBASE, and VHL using a combination of controlled vocabulary and keywords for the concepts of electronic health records, epidemiologic studies and Colombia. A total of 323 publications were included. These comprised 123 identified secondary data sources including pharmacy dispensing databases, government datasets, disease registries, insurance databases, and electronic heath records, among others. These data sources were mostly used for cross‐sectional studies focused on disease epidemiology in a specific population. Almost all databases (95%) contained demographic information, followed by pharmacological treatment (44%) and diagnostic tests (39%). Even though the database owner was identifiable in 94%, access information was only available in 44% of the articles. Only a pharmacy‐dispensing database, local cancer registries, and government databases included a description regarding the quality of the information available. The diversity of databases identified shows that Colombia has a high potential to continue enhancing its RWE strategy. Greater efforts are required to improve data quality and accessibility. The linkage between databases will expand data pooling and integration to boost the translational potential of RWE.

Broadcast and broadband networks continue to be separate worlds in the video consumption business. Some initiatives such as HbbTV have built a bridge between both worlds, but its application is almost limited to providing links over the broadcast channel to content providers’ applications such as Catch-up TV services. When it comes to reality, the user is using either one network or the other. H2B2VS is a Celtic-Plus project aiming at exploiting the potential of real hybrid networks by implementing efficient synchronization mechanisms and using new video coding standard such as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). The goal is to develop successful hybrid network solutions that enable value added services with an optimum bandwidth usage in each network and with clear commercial applications. An example of the potential of this approach is the transmission of Ultra-HD TV by sending the main content over the broadcast channel and the required complementary information over the broadband network. This technology can also be used to improve the life of handicapped persons: Deaf people receive through the broadband network a sign language translation of a programme sent over the broadcast channel; the TV set then displays this translation in an inset window. One of the most important contributions of the project is developing and testing synchronization methods between two different networks that offer unequal qualities of service with significant differences in delay and jitter. In this paper, the main technological project contributions are described, including SHVC, the scalable extension of HEVC and a special focus on the synchronization solution adopted by MPEG and DVB. The paper also presents some of the implemented practical use cases, such as the sign language translation described above, and their performance results so as to evaluate the commercial application of this type of solution.

Electric propulsion satellites are being increasingly demanded by satellite agencies, operators and manufacturers due to their high efficiency in terms of mass consumption. This low consumption capabilities permits to design lighter satellite platforms, which lead into saving great launcher costs. As part of Hispasat’s Hispasat AG1 (HAG1) mission, GMV has upgraded their focusgeo FDS solution which allows to flight an on station full-electric propulsion based satellite like HAG1 simplifying the complexity of operations for this kind of missions, which leads into increasing the safety and reliability of the computations performed. This new solution enhance most important challenges of this kind of missions such as Manoeuvre Optimization, collocation strategies, operations coordination with chemical propulsion satellites and Orbit Determination.

In this paper, we propose a novel autonomous intelligent tool for the optimum design of a wireless relayed communication network deployed over disaster areas. The so-called dynamic relay deployment problem consists of finding the optimum number of deployed relays and their location aimed at simultaneously maximizing the overall number of mobile nodes covered and minimizing the cost of the deployment. In this paper, we extend the problem by considering diverse relay models characterized by different coverage radii and associated costs. To efficiently tackle this problem we derive a novel hybrid scheme comprising: (1) a Harmony Search (HS)-based global search procedure and (2) a modified version of the well-known K-means clustering algorithm as a local search technique. Single- and bi-objective formulations of the algorithm are proposed for emergency and strategic operational planning, respectively. Monte Carlo simulations are run over a emulated scenario based on real statistical data from the Castilla La Mancha region (center of Spain) to show that, in comparison with a standard implementation of the K-means algorithm followed by a exhaustive search procedure over all relay-model combinations, the proposed scheme renders on average better coverage levels and reduced costs providing, at the same time, an intelligent tool capable of simultaneously determining the number and models of the relays to be deployed.

In recent years, the space debris has gained a lot of interest as part of the space environment due to the increasing population of uncontrolled man-made objects orbiting the Earth. This population is causing a significant and constantly growing risk of collision with operational satellites, as recently proven with the collision of the Iridium33 satellite with the decommissioned Cosmos-2251 spacecraft. Satellite operators are raising their concerns on this risk due to this accident and demand collision risk assessment and mitigation applications for their operational satellites. In addition, each collision or event provokes the appearance of a considerable amount of new debris in space. Currently, there are more than 600,000 objects larger than 1 cm in orbit (according to the ESA MASTER-2005 model) particularly concentrated in the most busy and interesting orbits for current and future missions. The risk of collision of a geostationary satellite with uncontrolled debris or other satellites is currently estimated to be above 1% over the 13 years of a mission lifetime and has increased an order of magnitude in the last decade. Many geostationary satellite operators have started to control this risk in the last few years. HISPASAT, as part of the risk management strategy in the company, implements an active monitoring of the potential collisions with space debris. This monitoring obeys to the increasing sensitivity to implement effective measures of control in front of these uncontrolled objects and to the decision to demonstrate a robust satellite control to the end customers. Another clear example of this interest is the initiative for a future European Space Situational Awareness System and all the precursor and preparatory activities undertaken, to which HISPASAT is interesting. GMV, a recognized leader in the field of Flight Dynamics, has a very extensive knowledge and broad base of experience in the field of space debris. This is due to its collaboration with the European Space Agency in this area over the last decade, as well as the development of customised solutions for operators such as HISPASAT. At the beginning of 2003, GMV was starting the development of a new activity for detection of close approaches between satellites and third-party objects. This activity was based on the information provided by USSTRATCOM as two-line elements (TLEs) plus the operational data available for the operator’s satellites. The tool has eventually evolved into a generic product called focusCloseAp, which is commercialised like a COTS product in different versions, to provide operators with a cost-efficient solution for collision risk assessment. This paper presents experience obtained by HISPASAT while using focusCloseAp to obtain collision approach results, the motivation, kind of problems encountered and the solutions that have been studied and / or applied. focusCloseAp presents a great flexibility in its use and allows the user to modify the satellite orbital and manoeuvre parameters very easily and re-run different analysis cases to check the effects of the proposed modifications. This feature is exploited to find out that there are various options for altering the encounter geometry quite considerably