Darwin at the Space2Connect Conference 2021

We were delighted to be invited to the Space2Connect Conference 2021! This was a hybrid event, attended by experts both online and in person, and skilfully organised by the European Space Agency (ESA). It ran from 11 to 14 October.

The conference was a fascinating opportunity to explore and discuss the potential of space-based technology. If you’re interested, you can watch the panels over here.

Space2Move: 5G/6G & the Integration of Satcom in Future Networks

Daniela Petrovic, our delivery director, spoke on the Space2Move panel, so we’re going to look at that discussion in a bit more depth! The panel was an exploration of how satellite communications and terrestrial communications could be combined for greater reach and versatility.

The panel was moderated by Aarti Holla-Maini, secretary general of ESOA, and the other panellists were Helmut Zaglauer of Airbus, Antonio Arcidiacono of the European Broadcasting Union, Francesco Rispoli of Ansaldo STS, Peter Stuckmann of the European Commission, and Stéphane Anjuère of Thales Alenia Space. It was an honour for Darwin to take a place alongside such an impressive array of experts.

From 14 minutes into the video of the panel on the Space2Connect website (Session 4), you can hear Daniela talking about our Cornwall demonstration in July. The results were very positive; the quality of signal was good throughout the demonstration, and there was no loss of communication when switching between terrestrial and satellite networks. We’re hoping to have a full-length article in the near future, talking in more depth about how our ubiquitous communications technology performed in Cornwall.

At the 41m50s mark, you can also listen to Daniela talking about how the combination of terrestrial and satellite networks can open up new markets, creating the potential for new products in the worlds of transportation, insurance and more.

The entire panel is worth watching for anyone with an interest in the satellite industry; it touches on a lot of interesting ideas, including the applications of satellite communication in rail systems, potential innovations on the design of the satellite dish, and whether mobile phones will be able to communicate directly with satellites in the future.

Space2Connect 2021 was a great success: a testament to the combined efforts of the organisers, moderators, guests and everyone else who had a hand in it. We’re grateful to ESA for organising the conference, and we’re looking forward to next year!

Darwin Innovation Group is a UK-based company that provides services related to autonomous vehicles and communications. If you’re interested in working with us, take a look at our careers page. If you’d like to know how we can help your organisation make use of autonomous vehicles, contact us. You can also follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.