Satcube antennas used in an Astranis Vanguard mobile network demonstration. Photo: Astranis

Astranis is rolling out a new mobile satellite network product, working with terminal manufacturers Kymeta and Satcube, and networking solutions provider Persistent Systems. Announced Wednesday, Vanguard is a mobile deployable network across satellite and terrestrial links, geared toward defense and disaster response. 

Astranis said it demonstrated Vanguard over one of its Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites operational over the U.S., deploying an air-gapped, tactical network. The demonstration used Persistent Systems’ Wave Relay MANET routing algorithm with MPU5 broadband radios and rugged display and controller devices, with backhaul from both the Kymeta and Satcube terminals to send data live over an Astranis satellite. 

“Astranis Vanguard offers both defense and commercial customers the ability to quickly and easily spin up a resilient, self‑forming network capable of voice, video, and broadband data,” Astranis CEO John Gedmark said in a blog post about the product. “It’s a capability that customers have long asked us for.” 

This product has applications for defense missions to provide command-and-control and situational awareness, extending connectivity beyond line of sight. Astranis also said it can enable public safety users to stand up connectivity within minutes after an emergency event when connectivity is not available.