--- title: "Space and satellite systems platform | Nexus Observatory" description: "Spacecraft buses and payload classes, constellations sized to revisit and coverage, non-terrestrial networks and 3GPP direct-to-device…" url: https://observatory.global/space/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-10-29 --- Nexus Observatory / **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. [Plan with us](https://observatory.global/contact/) Reference architecture [The open protocol](https://observatory.global/protocol/) **Areas**: 6 **Technologies**: 196 **At the frontier**: 35 **Industries served**: 10 In the field ## Offshore and ocean A moored met-ocean buoy and a profiling float report through a satellite pass overhead; the red link is the uplink. [Open the tour](https://observatory.global/environments/offshore-ocean/) [Arctic station](https://observatory.global/environments/arctic-station/) · [Ground station](https://observatory.global/environments/ground-station/) · [Orbit view](https://observatory.global/environments/orbit-view/) **01** · What this platform covers ## Space and satellite systems, area by area. Choose an area for its systems, standards, the industries it serves and how we deliver it. [01 Constellations and orbitsLEO, MEO and GEO, sized to revisit and coverage.](https://observatory.global/space/constellations-and-orbits/) [02 Spacecraft and payloadsBuses and optical, radar and RF payload classes.](https://observatory.global/space/spacecraft-and-payloads/) [03 NTN and direct-to-device3GPP non-terrestrial networks, from orbit to handset.](https://observatory.global/space/ntn-and-direct-to-device/) [04 Tasking and downlinkRequest, schedule, receive and process: one chain.](https://observatory.global/space/tasking-and-downlink/) [05 Space safetyTracking, telemetry and command, conjunction awareness.](https://observatory.global/space/space-safety/) [06 Licensing and spectrumFilings, coordination and earth-station rules, by country.](https://observatory.global/space/licensing-and-spectrum/) **02** · Built on the open protocol ## One protocol under every platform. Marked: the functions this platform leans on hardest. The protocol itself is open and stewarded by the Nexus Consortium, so what you build here runs anywhere the protocol runs. 01 JOIN 02 ADMIT 03 DESCRIBE 04 TIME 05 OBSERVE 06 QUALIFY 07 FEDERATE 08 ORCHESTRATE **03** · Open and enterprise ## Open by default. Enterprise by contract. The open layer lives on the main site, free to use and build on. Enterprise services are delivered under contract by Nexus Observatory Inc. 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 **04** · Industries served ## 10 industries build on space and satellite systems. Each industry has its own site: its use cases, its community and the enterprise path, with this platform among the systems behind it. [Industry **Public safety** Warning time, gained at the sensor.](https://observatory.global/industries/public-safety/) [Industry **Humanitarian** Observation where the need is greatest and the grid is thinnest.](https://observatory.global/industries/humanitarian/) [Industry **Climate** The atmosphere, observed to the standard science needs.](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/) [Industry **Nature** Habitat, measured without disturbing it.](https://observatory.global/industries/nature/) [Industry **Oceans** From the coastline to the open ocean.](https://observatory.global/industries/oceans/) [Industry **Agriculture** Farm decisions on measured ground.](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/) [Industry **Telecom** Towers that compute, sense and connect.](https://observatory.global/industries/telecom/) [Industry **Transport** Corridors that report their own conditions.](https://observatory.global/industries/transport/) [Industry **Research** Instruments for science, run like infrastructure.](https://observatory.global/industries/research/) [Industry **Insurance and finance** Independent measurements for risk transfer.](https://observatory.global/industries/insurance/) **05** · Every platform ## 18 platforms, one architecture. One platform for each technical area of our work, on the same protocol, the same data and the same design. [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/) [Field services](https://observatory.global/field-services/) [Data & licensing](https://observatory.global/data-products/) [Space and satellite systems](https://observatory.global/space/) [Positioning, navigation and timing](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Security and trust](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Digital twins and simulation](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/) [Design and integration](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Test and qualification](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Operations centre](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Training and enablement](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Frontier labs](https://observatory.global/labs/) ## Bring us the site. We bring the survey, the design and the crew. Nexus Observatory Inc. The form names who receives your details. [Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) [Create account](https://observatory.global/register/) [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/)**Space and satellite systems** . From orbit to the ground, on one protocol.[Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) Space and satellite systems - [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/) Technologies - [Orbits and constellations](https://observatory.global/technologies/satellite/orbits-and-constellations/) - [Spacecraft buses and platforms](https://observatory.global/technologies/satellite/spacecraft-buses-and-platforms/) - [Gateways and teleports](https://observatory.global/technologies/ground/gateways-and-teleports/) - [User terminals](https://observatory.global/technologies/ground/user-terminals/) - [Platforms and orbits](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/platforms-and-orbits/) - [Optical, spectral and thermal sensors](https://observatory.global/technologies/eo/optical-spectral-and-thermal-sensors/) Industries - [Public safety](https://observatory.global/industries/public-safety/) - [Humanitarian](https://observatory.global/industries/humanitarian/) - [Climate](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/) - [Nature](https://observatory.global/industries/nature/) - [Oceans](https://observatory.global/industries/oceans/) - [Agriculture](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/) - [Telecom](https://observatory.global/industries/telecom/) Service 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/) © 2026 Nexus Observatory Inc. [Privacy](https://observatory.global/legal/privacy/) [Terms](https://observatory.global/legal/terms/) [Accessibility](https://observatory.global/legal/accessibility/) [Cookie settings](https://observatory.global/privacy-choices/) [Data credits](https://observatory.global/credits/)