Fire brings us light, warmth, hope. And sometimes, terror. A forest fire is a massive wall of heat and flame. Driven by high winds, it can leap across roads, spin into columns of fire and turn homes into ash. But every year around the world, men and women walk into the fire to save the forest, the homes and the people. They are wildfire fighters, and they do one of the hardest jobs in the world.

Working 16 hours a day for 2 or more weeks straight, they go without showers or regular meals. And they sleep on the ground. Most of all, in that same unforgiving ground, they dig. Water isn't enough to fight forest fires. They are too big for that. Digging trenches and burning brush keeps fuel away from the fire. And so, they dig.

It's a dangerous job. An average of 19 American wildfire fighters perish in the flames each year. To save forests and homes and lives, including their own, firefighters turn to satellite technology. Weather data from space provides accurate forecasts of conditions on the ground. Satellite image data helps fire commanders see where fires are and makes it possible for artificial intelligence to predict their course. But all the knowledge in the world can't help unless it reaches the firefighters on the line.

Kymeta Connects the Front Lines to Much-Needed Support

A company called Kymeta produces a satellite terminal that mounts easily on the roofs of cars or at basecamp. With the push of a button, the Kymeta u8 terminal powers up and connects to a satellite without the need for specialized training. It provides a local WiFi signal that lets commanders and firefighters use the phones, tablets and laptops they are used to. The cost of the terminal and connectivity are bundled into a single package, making it easy and affordable.

What does that WiFi connection mean to a firefighter? A better chance of beating the blaze because crews can coordinate their work even when they are far apart. A better chance of survival by warning each other about where the fires are spreading. A chance to connect with home and let their loved ones know they’re safe.

Fighting Wildfires for the World

You may live far from the places where forests catch fire. But you can’t escape their impact. In the most recent season, wildfires burned more than 10 million acres of the American West and sent smoke as far as Europe. Australia lost 46 million acres to wildfires, and they put as much ash into the air as a volcanic eruption. A heat wave in Siberia drove massive fires that filled the atmosphere with more than 244 million tons of carbon.

The u8 terminal is transforming how we predict and fight fires. Along with thousands more satellites poised to launch, it is helping turn terror into hope – for the forest, for the firefighters and for us all.

In 2017, Kymeta introduced the first-generation product, the KymetaTM u7 terminal which leveraged the science and technology behind metamaterials. This ground breaking research and production of the u7 laid the ground work for our next generation of products, the Kymeta u8 terminal and KymetaTM Connect.

Today, Kymeta is unlocking the potential of broadband satellite connectivity, combined with cellular networks, to satisfy the overwhelming demand for communications on the move and making mobile global.

Lepton Global Solutions, a Kymeta company, hosts the company’s satellite connectivity solutions and offers unique, complete, and turnkey bundled solutions to the market based on best-in-class technologies and tailored customer-centric services that meet and exceed customer mission requirements.

These solutions in tandem with the first-of-its-kind Kymeta™ u8 flat-panel satellite antenna, along with Kymeta Connect™ services provide revolutionary mobile connectivity on satellite and hybrid satellite-cellular networks to customers around the world.

Backed by U.S. and international patents and licenses, the Kymeta™ u8 terminal addresses the need for lightweight, slim, and high-throughput communication systems that do not require mechanical components to steer toward a satellite. Kymeta makes connecting easy – for any vehicle, vessel, or fixed platform.

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