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C h a p t e r 2 | T h e L a t e s t Tr e n d s i n S AT C O M range and deliver significant advantages for satellite designers. Ku band is widely used for satellite television and communications and requires a relatively small antenna. Ka band delivers a higher bandwidth at the expense of more complex ground-based equipment. Both technologies are ideal for use in High- Throughput Satellites (HTSs). These bands are combined with phased- array antennas that enable multiple simultaneous beams. This significantly increases the capacity of the system while reducing latency. Electronic beamforming has taken over from mechanical antenna steering, creating a faster and more accurate targeting system. The advances in high frequency phased array antennas are also transforming the design of user equipment. Ground stations, from enterprise-based systems to mobile platforms including ships and aircraft, employ the same phased array technology, delivering single-band connectivity across LEO, MEO, and GEO satellites. More affordable ground stations are the result of this analog beamforming technology, creating a more compact and cost-effective alternative to mechanical systems. Delivering the Internet from Space One of the most interesting applications for SATCOM is its use in the Internet of Things (IoT). Many industries deploy systems over wide areas, such as a wind farm with many turbines on far-flung hilltops, or an oil field with drill heads separated by many kilometers. Any such systems must operate in remote locations that have traditionally been beyond the reach of conventional ground-based networks. Integrating these remote systems into the enterprise network has therefore been expensive. However, the IoT makes use of SATCOM to deliver high- speed communications over a wide area. In the coming years, key trends shaping SATCOM's future include rapid growth in LEO and 5G NTN networks driving broadband and IoT expansion, and SWaP-driven integration, where GaN front- end modules combine multiple functions to reduce weight and power consumption." Gregory Torriani Jones Staff Electrical Engineer, Lockheed Martin 12 Engineering the Future of Satellite Communications