Perched on a desk in front of me is a tiny satellite. Four black panels stick out like the spokes of a windmill, connected to central body the size of a desktop computer. It weighs less than 10 kilograms, and looks like a space buff’s toy.
Suspended precariously on a metal rod, it’s hard to imagine a satellite just like this is hurtling around Earth, at an altitude of 600 kilometres.
This model belongs to technology firm Hiber and is a life-size replica of its other nanosatellites now in orbit. Their job? Keeping an eye on fishing boats for the Indonesian government.
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Hiber’s satellites can receive information from remote parts of the globe, such as Antarctica or the middle of oceans, where getting mobile signal is nigh on impossible.
So far, the company has only two satellites in orbit, but plans to launch an additional 10 to 12 in the next 18 months. With each satellite orbiting Earth at a speed of 7 kilometres per second, circling the planet 16 times per day, this would mean they could connect with anyone anywhere on Earth roughly once per hour.
Tackling illegal fishing
The Indonesian government are using Hiber’s satellites because they are concerned about , where boats catch fish in areas they aren’t allowed to.
To counteract this, Indonesian fishing boats will carry a small modem that will automatically connect to a satellite when it passes overhead. It will then send information about the catch and position, whilst still in the middle of the ocean.
“With our system on board small fishing vessels, they can now actually identify which fish have been caught where and by whom,” says Coen Janssen at . This also gives guarantees for selling the catch, as fish cannot be legally imported into the EU unless the specific country of origin is known, for example.
The technology is also being trialled by the British Antarctic Survey to collect data from remote measurement stations that previously had no satellite communications. Sensors there will be able to send measurements once per day.
Other companies are testing similar technology. has a network of 100 satellites, which are used by 180,000 ships daily, to send information including position, speed and heading – information used for maritime security, avoiding collisions, and search and rescue.
Another company, , uses nanosatellites to track aircraft, which could prevent future aircraft disappearances such as Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.
Amazon and SpaceX have ambitions to launch thousands of satellites to provide broadband internet access for people on Earth from space.
The number of nanosatellites has spiked in the last three years, as they have become cheaper to build, says Andrew Faiola, at the EMEA Satellite Operators Association in Belgium.
However, the costs are still substantial. Hiber pays €50,000 per kilogram to launch its nanosatellites into space.
As the number of satellites in space increases, collisions and space junk is becoming more of a concern. “We should be welcoming these small satellites and nanosatellites, but we also need to be very clear on what their plans are for de-orbit,” says Faiola.
Hiber’s satellites are expected to fully burn up in the earth’s atmosphere, with a lifespan of three years, says Janssen.
