Gateway (telecommunications) - Internet-to-Orbit Gateway

Internet-to-Orbit Gateway

An Internet to orbit gateway (I2O) is a machine that acts as a connector between computers or devices connected to the Internet and computer systems orbiting Earth, like satellites or even manned spacecrafts. Such connection is made when the I2O establishes a stable link between the spacecraft and a computer or a network of computers on the Internet, such link can be control signals, audio frequency, or even visible spectrum signals.

Project HERMES is the first project to have brought this kind of machine into operation. The HERMES-A/MINOTAUR Space Flight Control Center became operative on June 6, 2009 and was operated by representatives of 34 countries on the UNOOSA Symposium of Small Satellites for Sustainable Development in Graz, Austria on September 10, 2009. Project HERMES is an initiative of the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency and has a maximum coverage of 22,000 km, HERMES-A is supposed to be the first gateway of a network of five covering all South America. HERMES-A/MINOTAUR can transmit voice as well as data.

Project GENSO is an initiative from NASA and ESA, and it is expected to begin operations on April 2010, it is supposed to have worldwide coverage.