The 4th Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, is underway. The first industrial revolution involved machines powered by steam and water, the second began with the harnessing of electricity, the third was launched with advent of computers and supercomputing, and now the fourth encompasses the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications, 3D printing, Big Data analytics, autonomous robots, life science developments, and more.
What role is there for space and satellite industries in Industry 4.0? Plenty.
Take IoT. IoT refers to connected devices that can transmit data with no human assistance or intervention and each such device has a unique identifier that makes it recognizable.
IoT devices are broken into five categories: consumer (e.g. home appliances), commercial (e.g. vehicle to vehicle communication), industrial (e.g. precision agriculture), infrastructure (e.g. sensors for smart cities initiatives) and military.
Currently, there are roughly 20 billion connected “things” or devices with expectations for more than 80 billion connected devices by 2025. Walmart has over 7 million connected devices alone in the United States to monitor its refrigeration systems. Satellites have global coverage and thus for many “things” — ships on the high seas, drilling stations in Alaska — satellites are the only possible means of sending and receiving “messages” from these connected things.
But even in the most advanced countries, there are large gaps in quality connected services. Indeed, many rural areas may have little to no reliable, consistent coverage. New low Earth orbit satellite systems are encouraging and positive developments in the fight to achieve “universal service.”
All the connected devices create more and more data — Big Data — to provide more accurate information for precision farming and smart mining.
Smart transportation and smart cities efforts are also underway. It’s clear there will be many further advances in the next decade or two when autonomous vehicles become predominant, a development that is necessary to keep traffic in the largest cities moving. Autonomous vehicles allow three times the number of autos per lane per hour than human controlled vehicles.
Shipping ports, already lacking necessary infrastructure and further harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on essential workers — through illness, contact tracing and work-distancing measures — are sorely in need of further digitization to replace paperwork and more complete tracking of inbound and outbound ships and containers (both empty and full). In the pre-COVID world, nearly 800 million twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) containers were handled by ports across the globe in 2018 but a very limited number of those containers were tracked, at least through the first and last mile. Conditions inside containers can also be monitored through connected devices. More generally, satellites provide the necessary backhaul and backup to terrestrial connectivity as well as complementing terrestrial services for greater efficiency allowing for gains in the “smart” movement of goods. In some parts of the globe, satellites are the only viable capability for tracking and monitoring this movement.
Industry 4.0’s relationship with the space industry is symbiotic. The space and satellite industries also lean on other features of Industry 4.0. 3D printing is an element of Industry 4.0. Space vehicle and satellite manufacturers are using 3D printing in their facilities. One company, Relativity Space, is heavily reliant on massive 3D printing equipment to manufacture its medium launch vehicles. Further, 3D printing has already been tested aboard the International Space Station for in-space manufacturing uses.
Artificial intelligence is also part of Industry 4.0. In this regard, so-called digital twins are used for spacecraft and satellite servicing and manufacturing. Specifically, a digital representation of the actual spacecraft or satellite is created, and artificial intelligence is utilized to analyze new models and simulations with the assistance of IoT-collected actual flight data from existing spacecraft and satellites.
Industry 4.0 and the space industry also face regulatory issues. The IoT device market is expected to exceed $1.3 trillion by 2026 and the space industries are expected to be a $1 trillion market by 2030 and perhaps $3 trillion by 2040. To put this in perspective, the global auto market ( the largest manufacturing sector in the world) is expected to grow to $9 trillion by 2030 — with 38% of the market being new car sales, undoubtedly with many autonomous features and connectivity demands.
Stifling regulation or poor liability regimes could hamper the growth of both the IoT and space industries. Forty percent of companies use IoT now; that number will double in the next 5 years. Industry 4.0 and IoT relies on the space industry and that’s why regulation of the space industries must become a concern to nearly all industries.
Low-cost access to space to launch and replace the necessary satellites is critical. Launch regulation and liability regimes impact the ability of innovators to continue to reduce the cost of access to space. Remote sensing satellites add to the Big Data collected with each Earth observation. Licensing of such systems, until recently at least, was under stress due to significant delays and concerns over the appropriate benefit-cost analysis being applied to various types of satellites and their imaging capabilities.
Spectrum allocations (as well as continued opening of new bands and sharing of existing bands) are also crucial. Spectrum is the lifeblood of a satellite; a satellite that cannot communicate is valueless. An appropriate balance of spectrum allocations and opportunity between satellite and terrestrial 5G must be achieved as both will be needed for IoT and the Big Data economy to flourish.
Space industry regulation deserves further reform and updating to allow the industry and the broader Industry 4.0 to flourish. U.S. liability regimes that provide certainty to space launch companies and their contractors and customers will expire in roughly four years and will need renewal. The U.S. launch licensing regime has recently undergone streamlining but the launch industry awaits clarifying “advisory circulars” that lay out certain ways to meet technical criteria in the regulations.
True streamlining and certain and timely regulatory processes are important for innovative launch companies from SpaceX and Blue Origin to Relativity Space and many other small and medium sized launch companies.
Remote sensing licensing regime regulatory reform efforts led to new regulations in the past year allowing lower-risk systems to take a speedier path to a license. However, worries exist that outdated benefit-cost analysis within the interagency process will lead to a more restrictive implementation of the new rule over time.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to work it’s way through terrestrial 5G needs for new spectrum as well as satellite spectrum demand. Reform of the whole spectrum management system in the United States — divided between FCC (private sector and state/local government spectrum) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) (federal government spectrum authority) — is on the table if an industry advisory committee has any say. That industry advisory committee has also made recommendations to improve the interagency MOU that exists between the FCC and NTIA to reduce conflicts in spectrum policy and ensure that the full importance to the national economy is taken into account during decision-making.
Additionally, creating a certain and minimally burdensome licensing regime for new on-orbit activities, such as on-orbit satellite servicing, active debris removal, and on-orbit laboratories and factories, awaits. Congressional efforts to lay out rules and assign an agency responsibility for that existing regulatory gap have not succeeded the past couple of years.
Further updates to and monitoring of space debris mitigation guidelines and regulations at both the national and international levels to improve space sustainability also await.
Common issues to Industry 4.0 and the space industry, such as cybersecurity and privacy, are issues needing further thought at both the domestic and international levels. The same is true for export controls, especially as novel products and services are created. In short, space and space regulation matter to Industry 4.0, especially the IoT and Big Data economy. No surprise the new space economy is being labeled Space 4.0. Space is a market multiplier and a customer for Industry 4.0 but it can only play that full role with minimally burdensome regulations and stable liability regimes that incentivize continued innovation and investment in the space sector.
Matthew Schaefer is the founding co-director of the Space, Cyber and Telecom Law program at the University of Nebraska College of Law. He is also the Veronica Haggart & Charles Work Professor of International Trade Law.
This article originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of SpaceNews magazine.
Mapinduzi ya nne ya viwanda, au Viwanda 4.0, yanaendelea. Mapinduzi ya kwanza ya viwanda yalihusisha mashine zinazotumiwa na mvuke na maji, ya pili ilianza na utumiaji wa umeme, ya tatu ilianzishwa na kuanzishwa kwa kompyuta na kompyuta kubwa, na sasa ya nne inajumuisha mtandao wa vitu, mawasiliano ya mashine-kwa-mashine, uchapishaji wa 3D, uchambuzi wa data kubwa, roboti za kujitegemea, maendeleo ya sayansi ya maisha, na zaidi. Ni nini nafasi ya viwanda vya anga na satelaiti katika Viwanda 4.0? Mengi sana. Chukua IoT. IoT ni kifaa cha kuunganisha ambacho kinaweza kusambaza data bila msaada wa binadamu au uingiliaji, na kila kifaa kina kitambulisho cha kipekee ambacho kinahakikisha kinaweza kutambuliwa. Vifaa vya IoT vinaweza kugawanywa katika makundi matano: Vifaa vya nyumbani, vifaa vya biashara (kwa mfano, Msaada wa gari kwa gari (VTK) Utaratibu wa kilimo cha usahihi (maendeleo ya kilimo cha usahihi) Sensors kwa ajili ya Smart Miji Kwa sasa, kuna karibu vitu bilioni 20 vinavyounganishwa na vifaa, na matarajio ya zaidi ya vifaa bilioni 80 vinavyounganishwa ifikapo 2025. Wal-Mart ina zaidi ya vifaa milioni 7 vya kuunganisha nchini Marekani ili kufuatilia mifumo yake ya baridi. Satelaiti zina chanjo ya kimataifa na hivyo kwa <unk>vitu<unk> <unk> meli katika bahari ya juu, vituo vya kuchimba visima katika Alaska <unk> satelaiti ni njia pekee inayowezekana ya kutuma na kupokea <unk> ujumbe<unk> kutoka kwa vitu hivi vilivyounganishwa. Hata katika nchi zilizoendelea zaidi, kuna mapungufu makubwa katika huduma za ubora. Kwa kweli, huenda maeneo mengi ya mashambani yasikupata habari za kudumu zenye kutegemeka. Mifumo mpya ya satelaiti ya mzunguko wa chini wa Dunia ni ya kutia moyo na maendeleo mazuri katika mapambano ya kufikia huduma ya ulimwengu. Vifaa vyote vilivyounganishwa vinaunda data zaidi na zaidi, data kubwa, kutoa habari sahihi zaidi kwa kilimo cha usahihi na madini ya akili. Majaribio ya usafiri wa smart na miji ya smart pia yanaendelea. Ni wazi kutakuwa na maendeleo mengi zaidi katika muongo ujao au mbili wakati magari ya kujitegemea inakuwa kubwa, maendeleo ambayo ni muhimu ili kuweka trafiki katika miji mikubwa kusonga. Magari ya kujitegemea huruhusu idadi ya magari mara tatu kwa kila mstari kwa saa kuliko magari yanayodhibitiwa na binadamu. Bandari za usafirishaji, ambazo tayari hazina miundombinu muhimu na ziliharibiwa zaidi na athari za janga la COVID-19 kwa wafanyakazi muhimu kupitia magonjwa, kufuatilia mawasiliano na hatua za kutenganisha kazi, zinahitaji sana digitization zaidi kuchukua nafasi ya karatasi na ufuatiliaji kamili wa meli na kontena zinazoingia na kutoka (za tupu na kamili). Katika ulimwengu wa kabla ya COVID-19, karibu kontena milioni 800 za TEU zilitumiwa na bandari ulimwenguni kote mnamo 2018, lakini idadi ndogo sana ya kontena hizo zilifuatwa, angalau kupitia maili ya kwanza na ya mwisho. Hali ndani ya vyombo pia inaweza kufuatiliwa kupitia vifaa kushikamana. Kwa ujumla, satelaiti hutoa backhaul muhimu na chaguo la nyuma kwa uhusiano wa ardhi pamoja na kukamilisha huduma za ardhi kwa ufanisi mkubwa kuruhusu faida katika harakati ya "smart" ya bidhaa. Katika sehemu fulani za ulimwengu, satelaiti ndizo uwezo pekee unaofaa wa kufuatilia na kufuatilia mwendo huo. Uhusiano wa viwanda 4.0 na sekta ya anga ni symbiotic. Viwanda vya anga na satelaiti pia hutegemea sifa nyingine za Viwanda 4.0. 3D uchapishaji ni moja ya viungo vya viwanda 4.0. Kampuni za utengenezaji wa vifaa vya anga na satellite zinatumia uchapishaji wa 3D katika vifaa vyao. Relativity Space ni kampuni ya kimataifa ya uchapishaji wa 3D ambayo inazalisha vifaa vya kuchapisha 3D kwa ajili ya uzinduzi wa ndege za uzinduzi. Kwa sasa, uchapishaji wa 3D umejaribiwa kwenye Kituo cha Angani cha Kimataifa (ISS) kwa matumizi ya utengenezaji wa anga. Akili bandia pia ni sehemu ya Viwanda 4.0. Katika suala hili, kinachoitwa pacha digital ni kutumika kwa ajili ya spacecraft na satelaiti huduma na utengenezaji. Kwa mfano, uwakilishi wa dijiti wa chombo halisi cha anga au satelaiti hutengenezwa, na akili bandia hutumiwa kuchambua mifano mpya na simulations kwa msaada wa data halisi ya ndege iliyokusanywa na IoT kutoka kwa chombo cha anga na satelaiti zilizopo. 4.0.1 Viwanda vya anga na anga pia vinakabiliwa na masuala ya udhibiti. Soko la vifaa vya IoT linatarajiwa kuzidi $ 1.3 trilioni ifikapo mwaka 2026 na viwanda vya anga vinatarajiwa kuwa soko la $ 1 trilioni ifikapo mwaka 2030 na labda $ 3 trilioni ifikapo mwaka 2040. Kwa mtazamo huu, soko la magari la kimataifa (sekta kubwa ya utengenezaji ulimwenguni) linatarajiwa kukua hadi $ 9 trilioni ifikapo 2030 na 38% ya soko ni mauzo ya magari mapya, bila shaka na sifa nyingi za kujitegemea na mahitaji ya kuunganisha. Utaratibu wa kuzuia au mifumo duni ya dhima inaweza kuzuia ukuaji wa IoT na viwanda vya anga. Kampuni 40 zinatumia IoT sasa, na idadi hiyo itarudi mara mbili katika miaka mitano ijayo. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Industries 4.0 na IoT hutegemea sekta ya anga na ndiyo sababu udhibiti wa viwanda vya anga lazima uwe wasiwasi kwa karibu viwanda vyote.""" Upatikanaji wa gharama nafuu wa angani ili kuzindua na kubadilisha satelaiti zinazohitajika ni muhimu. Utaratibu wa uzinduzi na mifumo ya dhima huathiri uwezo wa wavumbuzi kuendelea kupunguza gharama ya upatikanaji wa nafasi. Satelaiti za uchunguzi wa mbali huongeza kwa Takwimu Kubwa zilizokusanywa na kila uchunguzi wa Dunia. Leseni ya mifumo hiyo, hadi hivi karibuni angalau, ilikuwa chini ya shinikizo kutokana na ucheleweshaji mkubwa na wasiwasi juu ya uchambuzi sahihi wa faida-gharama unaotumika kwa aina mbalimbali za satelaiti na uwezo wao wa picha. Ugawaji wa wigo (kama vile kuendelea kufungua bendi mpya na kushirikiana kwa bendi zilizopo) pia ni muhimu. Spectrum ni damu ya uhai wa setilaiti; setilaiti ambayo haiwezi kuwasiliana haina thamani. """Ni lazima usawa sahihi wa mgawo wa wigo na fursa kati ya satellite na ardhi 5G ifanyike, kwani zote mbili zitahitajika kwa IoT na uchumi wa data kubwa kusitawi." """Utaratibu wa sekta ya anga unastahili marekebisho zaidi na kusasishwa ili kuruhusu sekta na sekta ya 4.0 kufanikiwa." Mfumo wa dhima wa Marekani ambao hutoa uhakika kwa makampuni ya uzinduzi wa anga na wakandarasi wao na wateja watamalizika katika miaka minne na itahitaji upya. Utaratibu wa leseni ya uzinduzi wa Marekani umepitishwa hivi karibuni lakini sekta ya uzinduzi inangojea kufafanua "maagizo ya ushauri" ambayo yanaweka njia fulani za kukidhi vigezo vya kiufundi katika kanuni. "Utaratibu wa kweli na utaratibu wa kisheria wa wakati unaofaa ni muhimu kwa makampuni ya uzinduzi wa ubunifu kutoka SpaceX na Blue Origin hadi Relativity Space na makampuni mengine mengi madogo na ya kati ya uzinduzi. """ Majaribio ya marekebisho ya udhibiti wa mfumo wa leseni ya sensorer ya mbali yalisababisha kanuni mpya mwaka jana kuruhusu mifumo ya hatari ya chini kuchukua njia ya haraka ya leseni. Hata hivyo, kuna wasiwasi kwamba uchambuzi wa faida na gharama uliopitwa na wakati ndani ya mchakato wa kati ya mashirika utaongoza kwa utekelezaji wa sheria mpya kwa muda mrefu. Tume ya Mawasiliano ya Shirikisho (FCC) inaendelea kufanya kazi kupitia mahitaji ya 5G ya ardhi kwa wigo mpya na mahitaji ya wigo wa satelaiti. Mabadiliko ya mfumo mzima wa usimamizi wa wigo nchini Marekani - uliogawanywa kati ya FCC (sekta binafsi na serikali ya serikali ya serikali) na Usimamizi wa Taifa wa Mawasiliano na Habari (NTIA) (mamlaka ya serikali ya shirikisho ya wigo) - ni juu ya meza ikiwa kamati ya ushauri wa tasnia ina maoni yoyote. "Kulingana na ripoti ya Kamati ya Ushauri ya Viwanda, ""Mkataba wa Mkataba wa Kati kati ya Shirika la FCC na NTIA, ili kupunguza migogoro katika sera ya spectrum na kuhakikisha kuwa umuhimu kamili kwa uchumi wa kitaifa unazingatiwa wakati wa kufanya maamuzi.""" Kwa kuongezea, kuunda mfumo wa leseni ya uhakika na mzigo mdogo kwa shughuli mpya kwenye mzunguko, kama vile huduma ya satelaiti kwenye mzunguko, kuondoa taka ya kazi, na maabara na viwanda kwenye mzunguko, inangojea. Jitihada za Bunge la Marekani za kuanzisha sheria na kugawa jukumu la shirika kwa pengo hilo la kisheria halikufanikiwa katika miaka miwili iliyopita. Ukaribu wa kuendeleza na kutekeleza kanuni za kupunguza uchafuzi wa anga katika maeneo ya kimataifa na kimataifa, pamoja na kuimarisha mazingira ya anga. "Sehemu za kawaida za viwanda vya 4.0 na sekta ya anga, kama vile usalama wa mtandao na faragha, ni masuala yanayohitaji kufikiriwa zaidi katika ngazi za ndani na kimataifa. """ Vivyo hivyo ni kweli kwa ajili ya udhibiti wa mauzo ya nje, hasa kama bidhaa mpya na huduma ni kuundwa. Kwa kifupi, nafasi na udhibiti wa nafasi ni muhimu kwa Viwanda 4.0, haswa uchumi wa IoT na Data Kubwa. "Hakuna shaka kwamba uchumi mpya wa anga unaitwa ""Space 4.0.""" """Uwanja wa anga ni multiplier ya soko na mteja kwa Viwanda 4.0, lakini inaweza tu kucheza jukumu hilo kamili na kanuni ndogo za mzigo na mifumo ya dhima ya kudumu ambayo inahamasisha uvumbuzi wa kuendelea na uwekezaji katika sekta ya anga." Matthew Schaefer ni mwanzilishi na mkurugenzi mwenza wa programu ya Sheria ya Nafasi, Cyber na Telecom katika Chuo Kikuu cha Nebraska Chuo Kikuu cha Sheria. Yeye pia ni Veronica Haggart & Charles Kazi Profesa wa Sheria ya Biashara ya Kimataifa. Makala hii ilitolewa katika toleo la Septemba 2021 la SpaceNews.