Artel Video Systems, a world-class provider of innovative real-time multimedia delivery solutions, today announced that launch service provider United Launch Alliance (ULA) has selected Artel’s FiberLink® media-transport devices to support several years’ worth of missions for its new Vulcan rocket. Vulcan is the latest in a series of ULA vehicles that launch spacecraft into orbit for the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and commercial customers.

“Artel’s products have demonstrated to be of the highest quality for the best value and longest life,” said Sheryl Platte, Supply Chain Director at ULA. “They have been deployed in the past for similar applications and environments, so we were sure that they would do the job and eliminate any uncertainty about performance. They also met our requirements for modularity since the environment isn’t suitable for rack-based equipment.”

As ULA’s most powerful rocket to date, Vulcan promises to be the nation’s new workhorse in space launch. Right now Vulcan is set to deploy 60% of the country’s national security payloads for the U.S. military through 2027. Also, Amazon has contracted Vulcan for Project Kuiper, an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of 3,236 advanced satellites in low Earth orbit. Vulcan will handle 38 launches — the majority of the Project Kuiper satellite constellation.

With every launch mission, Vulcan will make its way from the integration facility to the launch pad. ULA must monitor and support the health of both the transport system and the launch vehicle during the journey to the launch pad and during the countdown. The task requires devices that are powerful enough to move 4K/UHD video up to a mile over single-mode fiber; flexible enough to transport IRIG time code in multiple standards over either single-mode or multimode fiber; and able to carry audio, data, and control signals.

ULA will install the following Artel products in multiple Vulcan-specific trailers that contain rocket and payload support electronics:

• FiberLink 3514/3515 4K/UHD transmitter and receiver pairs — Low-profile, four-port devices that transport 4K/UHD video over single-mode fiber with enough power to reach up to 50 kilometers, so distance will not be a concern.
• FiberLink XA-/RA-1900 IRIG transmitter and receiver pairs — Fiber-optic systems that transmit IRIG time-code formats A through H over standard multimode or single-mode fiber at 850 nanometers or 1310 nanometers, meeting the requirement for flexibility and accommodating the range of IRIG standards mandated by ULA’s customer.
• FiberLink 3390/3391 audio and data transmitter and receiver pairs — Devices that carry audio of the facilities ULA monitors, along with telemetry data and control.

From within the trailers, the Artel products will transmit signals from the launch pad area to the various ground segments in the complex (mission control, remote terminals, etc.) so that ULA technicians can ensure everything is going as planned and can support the mission as needed. ULA will use the information to analyze launch performance and, most importantly, to monitor in the event of failure.

ULA will install the Artel gear in the monitoring trailers in the fall, with the first Vulcan launch planned for early 2023.

“With Artel FiberLink devices, ULA can keep a close eye on the rocket and transport vehicles and support their operation from transfer to blast-off,” said Randy Sheets, National Accounts Manager at Artel. “ULA is the national leader in building and operating rockets that take spacecrafts into orbit, and it’s gratifying to be able to help such an esteemed organization doing important scientific work. ULA can count on Artel to provide reliable monitoring support for years to come.”

Artel Video Systems, a world-class provider of innovative, real-time multimedia delivery solutions, today announced that Swiss systems integrator SLG has installed Artel Quarra PTP Ethernet switches to support seven Lawo IP-native diamond radio consoles installed in control and production rooms at CH Media Group. The Quarra switches facilitate an audio-over-IP workflow for this industry-first deployment of the brand-new Lawo consoles.8

“This was a large-scale implementation of media-over-IP, and we chose to work with Artel because we trust both the company and its Quarra switches,” said Francesco Mattuzzi, Project Manager at SLG Broadcast. “The install was straightforward, as we anticipated, and our customer was very pleased with how smoothly we were able to complete the project.”

“We knew going into the project that Quarra has enabled many successful migrations to IP,” added Steve Handke, Head of Technology TV & Radio at CH Media. “Given this track record, we were confident following SLG’s recommendation of the Quarra along with our new Lawo consoles.”

The IP-native diamond radio console is based on the open AES67/RAVENNA audio-over-IP network standards and complies with SMPTE ST 2110-30/-31 and ST2022-7 standards. Artel’s Quarra PTP Ethernet switch accommodates all of these standards, provides leading-edge PTP switch technology, and supports the CH Media Group’s implementation of the Lawo consoles by providing the breadth of essential features and functionality.

“SLG is a leading systems integrator specializing in IP migrations, and we’re proud to be trusted by the company — and innovative end users including CH Media Group — for these types of mission-critical implementations,” said Paul Seiden, Director of Sales at Artel.