News Excerpt: 

Chinese scientists have developed the world's first satellite capable of enabling smartphone calls directly without the need for ground-based infrastructure such as mobile towers.

About the news:

• The deployment of the Tiantong-1 series involves launching three satellites orbiting synchronously at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers. This has the potential to revolutionize communication across the Asia-Pacific region, from the Middle East to the Pacific Ocean.
• However, the realization of direct satellite connectivity for mobile phones posed formidable technical challenges, particularly concerning passive intermodulation (PIM) interference. 
• PIM has plagued commercial communication satellite networks, hindering further technological advancements. In response, Chinese scientists spearheaded groundbreaking research to mitigate PIM effects.

Background:

• Named after the Chinese term for “connecting with heaven,” reminiscent of the biblical Tower of Babel, the project symbolized a commitment to enhancing communication resilience in the face of adversity.
• The idea is, that in the case of an emergency where mobile connectivity may be severely impacted because of a natural calamity or any other disaster, people can call for help directly, by connecting to an overhead communication orbiter.
• The idea for such a satellite came about after 2008, when Sichuan, a province in southwestern China, was struck by a devastating magnitude-8 earthquake, resulting in the tragic loss of over 80,000 lives.
• What made the situation far worse back then was the communication breakdowns in affected areas, which in turn severely hindered rescue operations, thus compounding the crisis.
• In response to this disaster, the Chinese government started the Tiantong Project, a satellite communication system. 
• The purpose of the satellite is to provide universal access to communication services irrespective of socio-economic status.