On September 1, space companies and organizations came together to launch the Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (DIFI), an independent non-profit group with the mission to develop interoperability standards for the space industry. Stuart Daughtridge, SVP of Advanced Technologies for Kratos was elected the first Chairman of the Consortium. Constellations spoke with Daughtridge to learn more about the group’s work and objectives.
Constellations: Can you tell us why DIFI was formed and why members believe it is needed?
Daughtridge: Our mission is straightforward. I can read it to you: To enable the digital transformation of space, satellite, and related industries through a simple, interoperable Digital IF/RF standard that accelerates industry transformation from L-Band IF to Digital IF, while discouraging vendor lock-in.
Our “big picture” mission is to enable digital transformation. Industries around the world have been revolutionizing the way they do business and achieve their missions through the capabilities enabled by digitalization, cloud and related technologies. In the space industry we’ve been a little slower because of the physics involved in what we do, the exquisite nature of some of our systems and other unique aspects. But that has been changing due to recent breakthroughs in how we digitize and operate upon RF waveforms. In addition. we’re starting to see new software-defined satellites and software-defined payloads that present exciting digital opportunities, however the ground systems aren’t quite there yet to support them.
One thing that’s still holding the industry back is the lack of certain standards, or in some cases the incompleteness of standards. Framework standards exist today for digital IF, for example, but they do not assure interoperability between vendor systems. DIFI’s goal is to define easy-to-implement standards for Digital IF systems that will enable satellite operators, including commercial and government operators, to confidently design, build, operate and evolve multi-vendor satellite networks and ground systems.
Constellations: Who was involved in forming the Consortium?
Daughtridge: Our founding corporate members are Hawkeye 360, Intelsat, KSAT, Kratos, Kymeta and Microsoft. I’m pleased to announce here today that Systek was our first corporate non-founding member to join, followed by Envistacom and Bascom Hunter Technologies so far. The U.S. Navy is our first founding government member. We are in process with other companies and government services.
That group represents a cross-section of segments in the space industry: Intelsat, KSAT, and Hawkeye 360 are very different kinds of satellite operators; Microsoft is a leader in public cloud and, like KSAT, the growing Ground-as-a-Service sector; Kratos and Kymeta are leaders in ground systems, Kymeta in the mobile antenna and service sectors, Kratos across the ground segment. The U.S. Navy, DIFI’s first founding government member, both operates satellites and is deeply involved in tactical, end user systems. As we recruit other companies and organizations, we’ll work to keep that diversity of interoperability perspectives and goals well represented.
Constellations: What unites their interest in DIFI’s goals?
Daughtridge: Two things—well, at least two things—the first is that they all see the need to leverage digital IF to modernize and transform their ground infrastructure thereby improving operations and lowering costs.
Just look at the changes that have occurred in the “New Space” LEO Earth Observation (EO) market. Less than 10 years ago, if you were launching your own EO satellite, you would have had to build your own ground system, one that might cost more than the satellite itself. Now, you have your choice of five to ten solutions from service providers, companies like KSAT, Microsoft and others. Today, it would take a unique business model to consider building out your own ground infrastructure for a new EO satellite—certainly not for just one or two satellites. This transformation has been enabled by Digital IF and cloud technologies
The second thing they have in common is that they all realize that digital transformation will not happen without a robust supply chain like the one that was achieved for analog signals. That requires digital IF/RF signals to be transmitted and received in a standard format to ensure compatibility between all vendors systems.
Constellations: The U.S. Navy is a founding government member of the Consortium. What does that mean and what drives the Navy’s interest in interoperability?
Daughtridge: Just as the commercial satellite industry will benefit from a digital transformation of their infrastructure, so will the defense and civilian government systems—in many ways even more so. Governments around the world who operate, monitor or consume satellite-based services have a strong interest in interoperability for several reasons, not just the U.S. Government and not just the Navy within the U.S. Department of Defense.
For example, to think about it from a possible Navy or other maritime perspective, a digital IF/RF infrastructure greatly simplifies the physical wiring and maintenance of a ship’s satcom system. More importantly, a digital infrastructure enables transition away from limited, purpose-built hardware to more flexible, software-based applications that enhance resiliency in satcom links and allow faster repurposing and reconfiguration of network infrastructure for new missions.
We are having discussions with other U.S. service branches, and one especially has been extremely supportive of our mission and standard from the beginning, although I’m afraid I can’t mention particulars just now.
Constellations: The board members have approved a Digital IF interoperability standard entitled IEEE-ISTO Standard 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability 1.0. Can you describe what this standard applies to?
Daughtridge: Version 1.0 of this standard is designed to provide a baseline that is easy to implement today so that we can begin building a foundation for enhanced interoperability as an industry. The standard is based on VITA 49, an ANSI standard that is the only widely-deployed Digital IF standard in the satellite world. By our estimation there are more than 100 Digital IF systems in operations today. VITA 49 is employed across many different users and applications and is the choice of the U.S. military and the growing cloud and GSaaS segments.
As I mentioned, the challenge today is that VITA 49 and other standards are being implemented in different ways inside different vendor systems. So, you can have 10 companies whose products are VITA 49 compliant, but the systems cannot pass data to one another. The DIFI Consortium’s goal is to enhance VITA 49 with interoperability elements tailored for satellite industry requirements.
Keep in mind also that while VITA 49 is the most widely used standard, digital ground systems are still in the early stages, at least with respects to the satellite industry. An interoperability standard will help more operators and vendors get started on their unique paths to digital transformation without being locked into structures that won’t scale or adapt as needs and technologies evolve.
Version 1.0 of the standard is a minimum viable specification to achieve interoperability of IF/L-band. It applies to the data plane only, to signal and context packets only. We’ve worked to keep it easy to adopt, implement and certify in order to limit roadblocks to adoption by vendors and operator alike. In that way, makers of modems, digitizers, and similar products can easily adopt the standard, freeing them to focus on solving the harder problems like network transport, failover, etc. and still differentiate themselves.
Constellations: You have IEEE in the standard name. What is that relationship about?
Daughtridge: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world's largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology. The IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (ISTO) is a federation of member alliance programs with the aim of supporting accelerated technology standards development and market adoption for industry. DIFI has been created under the auspices of IEEE-ISTO which will handle much of the Consortium’s administration and management while also providing credibility to the standard and the organization.
Working with IEEE-ISTO supports the Consortium’s goal of creating an organization that has sustainable infrastructure and a trusted base to support longevity in an environment of continuous innovation and technological advancement that members can count on for independent, evolving standards.
Constellations: If this is version 1.0. What happens next?
Daughtridge: In the near-term, one key focus will be growing our membership. As I mentioned, we want a wide and diverse set of members to ensure that, as we evaluate and evolve the specification, we encompass the needs of the entire industry.
We are also developing a software package that will allow for both self- and third-party certification. This certification software will simply validate that the unit under test can send and receive digital IF packages that comply with the standard. It will not be designed to test or validate a customer’s network. Those networks are separate systems for purposes of the test environment. They are variable and complex.
Constellations: How can companies and other organizations join DIFI if they have an interest?
Daughtridge: DIFI membership is open to companies and organizations across the space and satellite industry, including satellite operators, GSaaS providers, integrators, services companies, government agencies, nonprofits, product vendors and others who have an interest in advancing systems interoperability. We are interested in all application areas, satcom, earth observation, remote sensing, TT&C and whatever new ones may be developed in the future that no one has thought of yet.
There are two kinds of Consortium members, Corporate Members and Government/Non-profit Members. Corporate Members pay dues; Government/Non-profit Members do not. There are two working groups: the Standards Working Group and Certification Working Group.
I encourage everyone interested in joining to visit our website at http://www.DIFIConsortium.org/ for more background, view version 1.0 of the standard and to let us know of your interest. We’d like to have as much industry involvement as possible to get a broad base of input. All companies and government agencies around the world with an interest in interoperability standards for the space industry are welcome. You can also follow us on Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/company/difi-consortium/.
