NSL Comm: State-of-the-art Space Antennas

The start-up, NSL Comm, is developing a large communication antenna that is expanded only once it arrives in space. The antenna is designed for geostationary  communication satellites, which reach space at an altitude of between 40-600 thousand kilometers above the stationary point on Earth. The advantage of the antennas, developed with the support of the Israel Space Agency, is that they remain folded during the launch and do not take up space, thus reducing the cost of the launch. Once in space, they are expanded and allow for high-speed communication similar to that offered by a regular satellite. The development enables a reduction in the cost of data transmission in space - a significant component of today’s communications costs.  The start-up has been in operation for a year, and its developers, Dr. Raz Yitzchaki , Daniel Rockberger and Danny Spirtus, plan to launch an antenna in 2017 that will serve the international space station. Its development is close to completion and in 2015, the antenna is expected to begin operation.