Teaching Reform for Unlimited Connectivity by Liquid Crystal Low-cost Low-power Onboard Satellite Internet Projected for 5G-to-6G Cruise-Aviation Industries and Beyond

With the emergence of Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and the established satellite internet (SI), a transformative leap from ground-based phased array communication systems (PACS) toward unlimited, ubiquitous connectivity everywhere (including the remote frontiers, maritime, airborne and deep space scenarios) is no longer a moonshot but making commercial sense right now, thus rewriting the chapter of microwave engineering teaching in higher education. In the aviation and cruise industries, onboard SI PACS is growing steadily with real business potential. Teaching reform case studies on the SI deployment in Saudia Airlines and a UK-based Ambassador Cruise Line are conducted, identifying the challenges for achieving next-level customer satisfaction. Most enabling technology solutions and analysis to date for SI PACS are scoped in semi-conductor-based switching setups for reconfigurability, which is lossy, resolution limited, and power consuming. A forward-looking teaching reform proposal is raised, incorporating tunable dielectrically functioning materials, e.g., liquid crystals (LC), into the onboard SI PACS upgrade, as well as scientific research regimes, e.g., the replacement of mechanically rotating parabolic reflector antennas array with movement-free LC phased-array systems in astrophysical instrumentation. Note that the performance loss mechanisms were only considered under ideal terrestrial conditions in past studies, without discussing temperature-dependent drifts. In this work, we newly discuss the thermal stability of LC-enabled instrumentation under space environments (e.g., deep space planetary applications) and how it might affect phase tuning performance. Cost considerations and comparative analysis with alternative phase (or amplitude)-reconfigurability enabling technologies are conducted, formulating a roadmap unique to LC from scientific exploration to technological innovation in fifth generation (5G) and 6G wireless networks (integrated communications and sensing), as well as complementing maritime radio applications, featuring mechanical rotation-free and ultra-low-power consumptions.