W5 Technologies has introduced the Mighty MUOSe system, a compact payload that extends coverage for the Mobile User Objective System military satellite communications network from Low Earth Orbit. The company positions the unit as a MUOS extender that maintains links for deployed forces when geostationary spacecraft are unavailable or out of view in high-latitude or obstructed environments, including polar regions and mountainous terrain.
The first prototype Mighty MUOSe unit is designed to provide persistent MUOS connectivity by hosting call processing functions on an orbital platform rather than relying solely on geostationary satellites. W5 Technologies developed the system in response to a U.S. Navy Small Business Innovation Research topic that called for continuous MUOS service over the North Pole, where conventional architectures struggle to maintain coverage.
Mighty MUOSe has completed full laboratory testing and uses hardware that has already undergone field trials, according to the company. The payload is built to be integrated on spacecraft or other mission platforms and is described as 5G ready so that it can interface with newer communications architectures and networks as they are deployed.
"We're focused on making dependable communications available anywhere our operators need them," said Jason Ferguson, CEO of W5. "By bringing the satellite closer to the user, Mighty MUOSe represents the kind of adaptable, resilient technology that today's missions demand. It essentially puts the satellite right over the warfighters on the frontline so they get better coverage."
Alongside the new MUOS extender, W5 Technologies offers the Mighty MUOOS system, which allows defense agencies to test MUOS-capable radios and terminals without using the live operational network. Mighty MUOOS is designed as a lab tool that can be brought into an organization's own facilities to troubleshoot MUOS terminals and validate integrations before they are deployed on real missions.
