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Space and satellite systems

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Spacecraft and payloads

Buses and optical, radar and RF payload classes.

Spacecraft and payloads, inside Space and satellite systems: multispectral optical imagers, hyperspectral imagers, synthetic aperture radar (X, C, L band), thermal infrared and fire detection and more. Every item is traced to its specification, from CEOS Analysis Ready Data: Surface Reflectance to ISO 19115-1 (metadata), and runs on the open Observatory Protocol.

Plan with usArchitectureThe protocol
Technologies
9
At the frontier
0
Protocol functions
5 of 8
Industries served
10

Reference design, drawn to scale · drag to turn · hover a part

01What it is

Earth observation payload classes.

The space segment end to end: orbits and constellations, spacecraft buses, communications and Earth observation payloads, inter-satellite links, tracking and command, space safety, launch, and the licensing and filings that let a system operate over a site. Each technology below carries what it is, what we do with it, and the standard it is drawn against.

Satellite and space systems

Multispectral optical imagers

Visible to shortwave-infrared imagers for land cover, vegetation, water and infrastructure monitoring.

We design and integrate.

CEOS Analysis Ready Data: Surface Reflectance · ISO 19115-1 (metadata)

Satellite and space systems

Hyperspectral imagers

Hundreds of narrow bands that separate materials, minerals, crop stress and pollutants.

We design and integrate.

CEOS Analysis Ready Data framework · CCSDS 123.0-B (multispectral and hyperspectral compression)

Satellite and space systems

Synthetic aperture radar (X, C, L band)

Day-night, all-weather imaging for flooding, ice, ground deformation and maritime monitoring.

We design and integrate.

CEOS Analysis Ready Data: Normalised Radar Backscatter · ITU RR Art. 5 (EESS active allocations)

Satellite and space systems

Thermal infrared and fire detection

Thermal bands for wildfire detection, surface temperature, urban heat and industrial monitoring.

We design and integrate.

CEOS Analysis Ready Data: Surface Temperature

Satellite and space systems

Atmospheric and greenhouse gas sounders

Spectrometers and sounders measuring methane, CO2, aerosols, temperature and humidity profiles.

We design and integrate.

WMO OSCAR (observing systems capability review) · WMO WIGOS

Satellite and space systems

GNSS radio occultation and reflectometry

Small receivers that turn GNSS signals into atmospheric profiles, sea-surface wind and soil moisture data.

We design and integrate.

WMO WIGOS (radio occultation in the global observing system)

Satellite and space systems

Space-based AIS and ADS-B reception

Reception of public vessel and aircraft broadcasts beyond terrestrial range for safety and situational awareness.

We design and integrate.

Rec. ITU-R M.1371 (AIS) · RTCA DO-260B (1090 MHz ADS-B)

Satellite and space systems

RF spectrum sensing from orbit

Payloads that map spectrum occupancy and locate interference sources to support spectrum management.

We design and integrate.

ITU RR Art. 15 (interference) · ITU Handbook on Spectrum Monitoring

Satellite and space systems

Lidar and radar altimetry

Ranging instruments for topography, forest structure, ice thickness and water levels.

We design and integrate.

CEOS Analysis Ready Data framework

02Architecture

Where it sits, and what it speaks.

Spacecraft and payloads draws on 3 domains and 24 layers of the spectrum; the highlighted layers carry this area. It speaks 5 of the protocol’s 8 core functions.

Orbits and constellations

8

Spacecraft buses and platforms

9

Communications payloads, NTN and direct-to-device

9

Inter-satellite and space-to-ground links

7

Earth observation payload classes

10

Tracking, telemetry and command and space safety

9

Launch, licensing and regulation

8

Frontier and research

6

Gateways and teleports

8

User terminals

9

Baseband, modems and software-defined radio

8

Ground-station-as-a-service and antenna networks

7

CCSDS protocol stacks

9

Mission control and flight dynamics

7

Data downlink, processing and distribution

8

Earth station spectrum coordination and interference

7

01JoinIdentity, attestation quote, signed policy.

02AdmitAdmitted for a stated scope, nothing wider.

03DescribeWhat, where, how and by whom, with calibration.

04TimeOne clock across the grid, with its error bound.

05ObserveEvery value with quality and provenance.

06QualifyTested against the specification, state on record.

07FederateSigned exchange across grids and trust domains.

08OrchestrateSoftware and configuration by signed plan.

03On the grid

Every site joins one observing grid.

The open networks on the grid today, over real relief and the geodesic cells we count them into, filtered to the space domain this area serves. A site built here enrols into the same grid.

04In the field

Where this runs, sector by sector.

6 deployment scenarios from the sector research that rely on spacecraft and payloads.

Government and public safety

Deployable communications and sensing for incident command

A cell on wheels with satellite backhaul, mesh telemetry and environment nodes at the incident base.
Development and humanitarian

School connectivity with a school observatory

Satellite or fixed wireless, school Wi-Fi, an open connectivity probe and an optional station.
Development and humanitarian

Displacement-site connectivity and sensing

Point-to-multipoint wireless, satellite backhaul, solar and water-point sensors with protection safeguards.
Scientific

Ocean and coastal low-cost buoy arrays

Satellite-backhauled wave buoys accepted in a national programme trial.
Transport

Highway corridor mobile coverage for safety

Small cells and satellite backhaul along unserved roads.
Government and public safety

National GBON surface and upper-air network

WMO-grade stations reporting through WIS 2.0, funded through the systematic-observations financing pathway.

05Open and enterprise

Open by default. Enterprise by contract.

The open counterpart lives on the main site for anyone to read and run. The enterprise service is designed, deployed and operated with you, under contract.

Open, on the main site

  • Orbit and pass methods
  • Payload class catalogue
  • Ground-station interfaces on the protocol

Enterprise, on this site

  • Mission and payload integration
  • Tasking and downlink services
  • Non-terrestrial backhaul for remote sites

06The rest of the line

Space and satellite systems, area by area.

Space and satellite systems

Constellations and orbits

LEO, MEO and GEO, sized to revisit and coverage.
Space and satellite systems

NTN and direct-to-device

3GPP non-terrestrial networks, from orbit to handset.
Space and satellite systems

Tasking and downlink

Request, schedule, receive and process: one chain.
Space and satellite systems

Space safety

Tracking, telemetry and command, conjunction awareness.
Space and satellite systems

Licensing and spectrum

Filings, coordination and earth-station rules, by country.

Bring us the site.

Survey, design, deployment and operation for spacecraft and payloads. The form names who receives your details.

Talk to uscontact@observatory.global

Buses and optical, radar and RF payload classes.

Spacecraft and payloads, inside Space and satellite systems: multispectral optical imagers, hyperspectral imagers, synthetic aperture radar (X, C, L band), thermal infrared and fire detection and more. Every item is traced to its specification, from CEOS Analysis Ready Data: Surface Reflectance to ISO 19115-1 (metadata), and runs on the open Observatory Protocol.

01What it is

02Architecture

Where it sits, and what it speaks.

03On the grid

04In the field

Where this runs, sector by sector.

05Open and enterprise

Open by default. Enterprise by contract.

The open counterpart lives on the main site for anyone to read and run. The enterprise service is designed, deployed and operated with you, under contract.

Open, on the main site
    Enterprise, on this site
      06The rest of the line

      Bring us the site.