IQ spacecom is pleased to announce that its Go.BIC service has officially reached Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL-9). Go.BIC is the first dynamic Global On-Demand Bi-directional Intersatellite Connection Service launched by RBC Signals in cooperation with IQ spacecom, a product branch of the German IQ Technologies for Earth and Space GmbH. Viasat’s global L-band GEO satellite network powers this solution.
Following the presentation and launch of the service last year, IQ spacecom's XLink-L SDR platform was successfully deployed aboard a satellite from Rapid Cubes GmbH via an ARIANE-6 rocket in July 2024. After the initial satellite operations, in-orbit verification of the Go.BIC service commenced in September, with tests showing remarkable stability.
“This collaboration with IQ spacecom and Viasat exemplifies our commitment to delivering cutting-edge, flexible communication solutions for LEO satellite operators. Go.BIC’s dynamic intersatellite capabilities, backed by our global ground infrastructure and STORM platform, are already transforming how missions operate—ensuring connectivity wherever and whenever it’s needed”, said RBC Signals President & CEO Ron Faith.
Dr. Kurt Winter, CEO of IQ Technologies, stated: "We are proud that this service works so well, and we have the pleasure of collaborating with such experienced partners. Intensive discussions are already underway with interested parties regarding the use of the service for both individual missions and constellations across a wide range of satellite platforms, from CubeSats to large satellites."
Go.BIC service: available – anywhere, anytime
The innovative Go.BIC service is designed to provide inter-satellite connections for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) operators. It enhances existing ground station networks by extending connectivity to previously unreachable areas, such as oceans, ensuring continuous communication for satellite operators. This improvement boosts operational efficiency through cost-effective telemetry and telecommand options, giving LEO satellite operators greater flexibility and control.
Communication links can be pre-booked or made available on short notice, making Go.BIC an ideal choice for time-sensitive space applications, like natural disaster monitoring and real-time satellite maneuvering.
Technical core
At the heart of the system is IQ spacecom's XLink-L, a fully-featured bidirectional Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform that has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance across various missions and configurations over the past years. Another key component is RBC Signals' ground station infrastructure, complemented by their Spectrum Trading Orchestration and Resource Management (STORM) platform. Based on this technical fundament and Viasat's highly reliable, global L-band GEO satellite network, LEO satellite operators do not need to wait for ground stations to pass —Go.BIC is available anywhere, anytime.
For more information, please visit www.iq-spacecom.com/gobic.
For further information, please contact:
Mathias Reibe
Head of Engineering, CTO
ABOUT IQ TECHNOLOGIES FOR EARTH AND SPACE GMBH
IQ Technologies for Earth and Space GmbH (former IQ wireless GmbH), headquartered in Berlin, Germany, is a well-established business for 25 years with two main innovative business units: IQ FireWatch and IQ spacecom. IQ FireWatch provides a terrestrial early detection system of fires in forests, outdoor industrial facilities, and wildland-urban interfaces.
IQ spacecom comprises high-performance radio communication solutions providing flexible and highly efficient broadband data communication for small satellites, as well as CubeSats. The equipment has been qualified for several years of operation in low earth orbit (LEO) and is used for scientific missions, Earth observation, remote sensing and communication solutions. Outstanding hardware and software platforms enable a fast, flexible and reliable adaptation to customer-specific requirements. More than 50 employees are constantly developing the products and optimizing them to meet the needs of the customers, in order to be able to provide solutions for complex requirements of the future. The technical innovations of IQ Technologies for Earth and Space GmbH are researched, developed, manufactured, and tested at the headquarters in Berlin.
Follow IQ spacecom on social media to stay up-to-date: Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn.
ABOUT RBC Signals
RBC Signals is an innovative provider of global satellite data communication products and solutions. They offer secure space communication solutions in every major frequency band, utilizing a worldwide network of both company-owned and partner-owned systems. RBC Signals delivers dynamic solutions offering affordability, flexibility, and resiliency. Their diverse products and services enable them to be a complete end-to-end solution provider for every organization that needs best-in-class multi-network solutions.
To learn more about RBC Signals, visit https://rbcsignals.com or follow the company on LinkedIn
