while traditional telecom spacecraft are configured before launch to do very specific tasks, quantum has been built for flexibility. it is the sector s first fully reprogrammable spacecraft. it s able to rapidly change the coverage, bandwidth, powerand frequency of its signals. one of its uses will be for disaster response, providing emergency communications to the teams that are sent in to help people in places hit by catastrophic floods or earthquakes. quantum s manufacturers in the uk, that s airbus and surrey satellite technology ltd, will incorporate the prototype s technology into their future spacecraft, hoping to maintain their world leading status in what has become a highly competitive field. jonathan amos, bbc news.