Satellite Internet Broadband and the Armed Forces: Working Together to Connect Troops
Last year, the Air Force and the United Launch Alliance teamed up to launch a military communications satellite ' a device aimed at connecting troops on missions around the world.
The Delta 4 rocket carrying the satellite is the third in a series of advanced Air Force communications satellites called the Widefield Global SATCOM spacecraft. Weighing in at a whopping 13,000 pounds and with a height of 817 feet, the satellite has signaled a huge advancement in communications bandwidth and satellite broadband technology. In fact, it will eventually replace the Defense Satellite Communication System ' the backbone of the Department Defense's satellite communications for over 20 years. It has had a huge impact on military in various parts of the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
Satellite internet and communication plays a vital role in connecting troops both internally and externally.
Because it is mobile, satellite follows troops from place to place, wherever it is that they are stationed. Satellite signals reach even the most remote areas. This includes deserts, forests and places far away from wireless towers, cables or any other communications providers. Satellite internet signals are so wide ranging that they even reach Antarctica (though there aren't troops there). Satellite facilitates communication between troops themselves, for it is one of the few means that can really be trusted.
Beyond internal communication, however, satellite has been extremely important for soldiers in terms of connections to the external world. Satellite broadband allows soldiers to stay in contact with friends, family and loved ones. They can exchange e-mails and instant messages and speak to those at home with webcams and internet phone services ' all thanks to satellite. Such readily available connection to those at home boosts morale among troops longing to see those they miss and love. It also gives peace of mind to those with loved ones fighting abroad, for they are able to keep track of where the troops are and what they are doing more often, remaining assured that their husbands, sons, fathers and friends are okay.
Satellite internet also facilitates the possibility of continuing and distance education on deployment. Many soldiers choose to take college courses online while on missions, keeping their minds sharp and preparing themselves for lives as civilians when their tours of duty have come to an end. Other soldiers, of course, use the internet to distract and entertain themselves in other ways with online gaming, web browsing and social networking.
Regardless of what each individual uses it for, satellite internet has definitely brought about positive change in the military around the world.
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