--- title: "Research: platforms | Nexus Observatory" description: "Service platforms for science and research: Gaps in the global observing record, Instrument uptime at remote sites, Calibration traceability and Data…" url: https://observatory.global/industries/research/platforms/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-11-02 --- [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/) / [Research](https://observatory.global/industries/research/) / **Platforms** # The platforms behind research. The service platforms that design, build and run the systems this industry relies on, each with the areas that matter here. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) [Use cases](https://observatory.global/industries/research/use-cases/) [Open the explainer](https://observatory.global/industries/research/explainer/) **01** Service platforms ## The platforms behind this industry. Each platform is its own site, with its areas, its technologies and its reference architecture. [Service platform Field servicesSurvey to decommission, one accountable crew.](https://observatory.global/field-services/) [Service platform Hardware & powerBuilt for the site, not the lab.](https://observatory.global/hardware/) [Service platform ConnectivityPrivate 5G, AI-RAN and orbit, on site.](https://observatory.global/connectivity/) [Service platform Frontier labsThe frontier, taken into the field.](https://observatory.global/labs/) [Service platform Data & licensingGrid data, licensed for your use.](https://observatory.global/data-products/) [Service platform Protocol & GridYour grid, on the open protocol.](https://observatory.global/grid-services/) [Service platform Test and qualificationTested against the specification. State on record.](https://observatory.global/#lines) [Service platform Earth observation & GeoAIThe ground, measured and modelled.](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/) [Service platform Digital twins and simulationModel the site before you build it.](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/) [Service platform Space and satellite systemsFrom orbit to the ground, on one protocol.](https://observatory.global/space/) **02** Field services ## Survey to decommission, one accountable crew. Ground, RF and power surveyed before anything is chosen, installation and commissioning to the plan, a Managed Site run for you, support by plan, training on your own site, and decommissioning with every part recorded. - [Survey](https://observatory.global/field-services/survey/) - [Install and commission](https://observatory.global/field-services/install-and-commission/) - [Managed Site](https://observatory.global/field-services/managed-site-cell/) - [Support](https://observatory.global/field-services/support/) - [Training](https://observatory.global/field-services/training/) - [Decommission](https://observatory.global/field-services/decommission/) - [Field services](https://observatory.global/field-services/) **03** Hardware & power ## Built for the site, not the lab. Sensor nodes to 7U racks, enclosures and masts, solar, battery and microgrid power sized to the load, ruggedisation specified for heat, cold, dust, water and shock, and platforms that move: vehicles, vessels and airborne. - [Form factors](https://observatory.global/hardware/form-factors/) - [Power](https://observatory.global/hardware/power/) - [Ruggedisation](https://observatory.global/hardware/ruggedisation/) - [Mobile and deployable](https://observatory.global/hardware/mobile-and-deployable/) - [Reference designs](https://observatory.global/hardware/reference-designs/) - [OEM](https://observatory.global/hardware/oem/) - [Hardware & power](https://observatory.global/hardware/) **04** Connectivity ## Private 5G, AI-RAN and orbit, on site. Standalone private 5G and O-RAN, AI-RAN on shared accelerated compute, LEO and GEO backhaul and 3GPP direct-to-device, LPWAN and mesh for sensors over kilometres, PTP timing inside the budget, and the spectrum route for each country. - [Private 5G](https://observatory.global/connectivity/private-5g/) - [AI-RAN](https://observatory.global/connectivity/ai-ran/) - [O-RAN](https://observatory.global/connectivity/o-ran/) - [Satellite and NTN](https://observatory.global/connectivity/satellite-and-ntn/) - [LPWAN and mesh](https://observatory.global/connectivity/lpwan-and-mesh/) - [Timing](https://observatory.global/connectivity/timing/) - [Spectrum](https://observatory.global/connectivity/spectrum/) - [Connectivity](https://observatory.global/connectivity/) **05** Frontier labs ## The frontier, taken into the field. Research pilots that put new instruments, radios and models on real sites, open benchmarks that compare them on the same data, and a path from a paper result to a qualified release, with the method published either way. - [Pilots](https://observatory.global/labs/pilots/) - [Benchmarks](https://observatory.global/labs/benchmarks/) - [AI-RAN and 6G](https://observatory.global/labs/ai-ran-and-6g/) - [Space and NTN](https://observatory.global/labs/space-and-ntn/) - [Physical AI](https://observatory.global/labs/physical-ai/) - [Into the product](https://observatory.global/labs/into-the-product/) - [Frontier labs](https://observatory.global/labs/) **06** Data & licensing ## Grid data, licensed for your use. Research, commercial API, enterprise and government tiers, the licence of every source carried through to every product, routes from licensed to open release, and residency fixed by contract. - [Products](https://observatory.global/data-products/products/) - [Tiers](https://observatory.global/data-products/tiers/) - [API](https://observatory.global/data-products/api/) - [Publication](https://observatory.global/data-products/publication/) - [Residency](https://observatory.global/data-products/residency/) - [Data & licensing](https://observatory.global/data-products/) **07** Protocol & Grid ## Your grid, on the open protocol. Private and federated observing grids for networks, agencies and OEMs: providers admitted for a stated scope, devices qualified against the specification, software moved by signed plan and data exchanged across trust domains. Every step leaves evidence. - [Private grids](https://observatory.global/grid-services/private-grids/) - [Federation](https://observatory.global/grid-services/federation/) - [Qualification](https://observatory.global/grid-services/qualification/) - [Provider admission](https://observatory.global/grid-services/provider-admission/) - [Orchestration](https://observatory.global/grid-services/orchestration/) - [Protocol & Grid](https://observatory.global/grid-services/) **08** Test and qualification ## Tested against the specification. State on record. Lab and field testing of devices and releases, conformance runs against the protocol, interoperability events where suppliers meet on one test plan, and evidence bundles a buyer, an auditor or a regulator can check without taking our word for it. - [Lab testing](https://observatory.global/) - [Field trials](https://observatory.global/) - [Conformance](https://observatory.global/) - [Interoperability events](https://observatory.global/) - [Evidence](https://observatory.global/) - [Test and qualification](https://observatory.global/#lines) **09** Earth observation & GeoAI ## The ground, measured and modelled. Ground-segment downlink and processing at the edge, drone and imagery campaigns planned to the ground sample distance, site twins measured in 3D, and GeoAI trained and checked against field truth, with the source and licence of every layer in view. - [Ground segment](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/ground-segment/) - [Drones and imagery](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/drones-and-imagery/) - [Site twins](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/site-twins/) - [GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/geoai/) - [Earth observation & GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/) **10** Digital twins and simulation ## Model the site before you build it. Site twins measured in 3D, network twins that predict coverage, power and timing, Earth twins on real elevation and live observations, and scenario simulation that tests a plan against flood, heat, load and failure before a contract is signed. - [Site twins](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/site-twins/) - [Network twins](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/network-twins/) - [Earth twins](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/earth-twins/) - [Scenario simulation](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/scenario-simulation/) - [Planning](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/planning/) - [Digital twins and simulation](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/) **11** Space and satellite systems ## From orbit to the ground, on one protocol. Spacecraft buses and payload classes, constellations sized to revisit and coverage, non-terrestrial networks and 3GPP direct-to-device, tasking and downlink, and space safety from tracking to conjunction awareness. Every pass, product and link carries its provenance into the grid. - [Constellations and orbits](https://observatory.global/space/constellations-and-orbits/) - [Spacecraft and payloads](https://observatory.global/space/spacecraft-and-payloads/) - [NTN and direct-to-device](https://observatory.global/space/ntn-and-direct-to-device/) - [Tasking and downlink](https://observatory.global/space/tasking-and-downlink/) - [Space safety](https://observatory.global/space/space-safety/) - [Licensing and spectrum](https://observatory.global/space/licensing-and-spectrum/) - [Space and satellite systems](https://observatory.global/space/) **12** One architecture ## Every platform on the same open protocol. Identity, time, observation and evidence work the same way on every platform, so the systems this industry buys fit together. **01** ### Join Identity, attestation quote, signed policy. **02** ### Admit Admitted for a stated scope, nothing wider. **03** ### Describe What, where, how and by whom, with calibration. **04** ### Time One clock across the grid, with its error bound. **05** ### Observe Every value with quality and provenance. **06** ### Qualify Tested against the specification, state on record. ### Ready when you are. Plan a deployment, configure a station or talk to sales. Every request reaches the team that answers it. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) [Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) [Talk to sales](https://observatory.global/contact/sales-enquiry/) ## Bring us the site. Survey, design, deployment and operation for research. The form names who receives your details. [Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) [Home](https://observatory.global/industries/research/) [Use cases](https://observatory.global/industries/research/use-cases/) [Specialized fields](https://observatory.global/industries/research/fields/) [Solutions](https://observatory.global/industries/research/solutions/) [Platforms](https://observatory.global/industries/research/platforms/) [Systems and technologies](https://observatory.global/industries/research/systems/) [Frontier](https://observatory.global/industries/research/frontier/) [Open](https://observatory.global/industries/research/open/) [Community](https://observatory.global/industries/research/community/) [Countries](https://observatory.global/industries/research/countries/) [Resources](https://observatory.global/industries/research/resources/) [Contact](https://observatory.global/industries/research/contact/) [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/)**Research** . Instruments for science, run like infrastructure.[Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) Research - [Overview](https://observatory.global/industries/research/) - [Explainer](https://observatory.global/industries/research/explainer/) - [Specialized fields](https://observatory.global/industries/research/fields/) - [Use cases](https://observatory.global/industries/research/use-cases/) - [Solutions](https://observatory.global/industries/research/solutions/) - [Platforms](https://observatory.global/industries/research/platforms/) - [Resources](https://observatory.global/industries/research/resources/) - [Contact](https://observatory.global/industries/research/contact/) Platforms - [Observatory Protocol](https://observatory.global/protocol/) - [Protocol & Grid](https://observatory.global/grid-services/) - [Software](https://observatory.global/software/) - [Hardware & power](https://observatory.global/hardware/) - [Sensors & instruments](https://observatory.global/sensors/) - [Connectivity](https://observatory.global/connectivity/) - [Edge compute & AI](https://observatory.global/edge-ai/) - [Earth observation & GeoAI](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/) - [Space and satellite systems](https://observatory.global/space/) - [Digital twins and simulation](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/) - [Data & licensing](https://observatory.global/data-products/) - [Field services](https://observatory.global/field-services/) - [Frontier labs](https://observatory.global/labs/) Solutions - [Early warning](https://observatory.global/use-cases/street-flood/) - [Wildfire and fire weather](https://observatory.global/use-cases/wildfire-camera/) - [Environmental compliance](https://observatory.global/use-cases/methane-fenceline/) - [Asset monitoring](https://observatory.global/industries/infrastructure/) - [Private networks](https://observatory.global/connectivity/private-5g/) - [Remote power and sites](https://observatory.global/use-cases/remote-microgrid/) - [Climate and resilience](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/) - [Site twins](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/) - [Data licensing](https://observatory.global/data-products/) Industries - [Public safety](https://observatory.global/industries/public-safety/) - [Government](https://observatory.global/industries/government/) - [Cities](https://observatory.global/industries/cities/) - [Civil resilience](https://observatory.global/industries/resilience/) - [Communities](https://observatory.global/industries/communities/) - [Humanitarian](https://observatory.global/industries/humanitarian/) - [Climate](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/) - [Water](https://observatory.global/industries/water/) - [Nature](https://observatory.global/industries/nature/) - [Oceans](https://observatory.global/industries/oceans/) - [Agriculture](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/) - [Energy](https://observatory.global/industries/energy/) - [Telecom](https://observatory.global/industries/telecom/) - [Transport](https://observatory.global/industries/transport/) - [Infrastructure](https://observatory.global/industries/infrastructure/) - [Mining](https://observatory.global/industries/mining/) - [Industry](https://observatory.global/industries/industry/) - [Research](https://observatory.global/industries/research/) - [Education](https://observatory.global/industries/education/) - [Health](https://observatory.global/industries/health/) - [Insurance and finance](https://observatory.global/industries/insurance/) - [Events](https://observatory.global/industries/events/) Products - [Field Deployment Studio](https://observatory.global/studio/) - [Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) - [Field services](https://observatory.global/field-services/) - [Data products](https://observatory.global/data-products/) - [APIs and SDKs](https://observatory.global/protocol/developers/) - [Edge runtime and fleet](https://observatory.global/software/) - [Hardware catalogue](https://observatory.global/hardware/) - [Reference designs](https://observatory.global/protocol/reference-designs/) Resources - [Learn](https://observatory.global/learn/) - [Stories](https://observatory.global/stories/) - [Environments](https://observatory.global/environments/) - [Network scenes](https://observatory.global/environments/networks/) - [Observatories atlas](https://observatory.global/observatories/) - [Earth and maps](https://observatory.global/earth/) - [Technologies](https://observatory.global/technologies/) - [Countries](https://observatory.global/countries/) - [Spectrum](https://observatory.global/spectrum/) - [Specification](https://observatory.global/protocol/specification/) - [Conformance](https://observatory.global/protocol/conformance/) - [Open source](https://observatory.global/open/) - [Data credits](https://observatory.global/credits/) Company - [About](https://observatory.global/about/) - [Open governance](https://observatory.global/consortium/) - [Security and trust](https://observatory.global/security/) - [Contact sales](https://observatory.global/contact/) - [Privacy requests](https://observatory.global/privacy-request/) © 2026 Nexus Observatory Inc. 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