Leosat Has New CEO Fotheringham, Plans Worldwide Coverage

Leosat, developing a low-earth-orbit satellite constellation to provide worldwide coverage, appointed a new CEO (see 1503040026) and laid out plans to expand its network. Leosat will deliver cost-effective, high-speed, low-latency data network services for businesses and governments, said new CEO Vern Fotheringham, who last was CEO of Kymeta, in an interview. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity to leverage everything I’ve learned and bring the benefits of broadband wireless to a lot of markets.” Since 2013, Leosat has been developing its network architecture, spectrum planning and satellite payload, it said in a news release Wednesday. The mid-sized satellite constellation is expected to launch in 2018 with 80 satellites, although the number might rise to improve mobile solutions, said Fotheringham. The Leosat system will use a fully meshed space system, rather than the traditional vent pipe system, he said. The vent pipe uses satellite footprints and a "tremendous amount of gateway air stations" to work, he said. Each footprint of a satellite that's passed through requires a gateway for up- and downlink, he said. The Leosat system will use on-board processors in a fully meshed space system, he said. "We don't need all those gateways," he said. “This is a chance to leverage technology that has been created in the past several years to put the networking capabilities in space, rather than on the ground,” Fotheringham said. “It’s a logical next step in the evolution of our satellite infrastructure. There’s very little latency to move bits around the world when you don’t come down into local gateways the traditional way.” Leosat is relocating to Washington, D.C., in the next few months, said the CEO.