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Space and satellite systems/
TechnologiesEvery technology this platform builds with, layer by layer, from the open taxonomy. Marked in red: what is moving now, each traced to its source.
Plan with usArchitectureAreas · 6 Technologies · 196 Industries · 10
01The layered map
Layer by layer, from the open taxonomy.
Each domain this platform draws on, with its layers and the technologies in each. Open a layer for what each technology does and the standard behind it.
Satellite and space systems
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.
The full directory →Orbits and constellations
Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 2
- LEO broadband constellations
- MEO constellations
- GEO high-throughput satellites
- HEO (Molniya and Tundra-type) orbits
- Sun-synchronous and polar orbits for EO
- Constellation design and coverage analysis
- HAPS and HIBS stratospheric platforms
- Very low Earth orbit (VLEO)
Spacecraft buses and platforms
Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 1
- Smallsat and CubeSat platforms
- Electrical power subsystems
- Attitude and orbit control
- Propulsion (chemical, electric, low-toxicity)
- On-board data handling and avionics buses
- Thermal control and structures
- Radiation effects and EEE parts
- Environmental verification
- Flight software and software-defined satellites
Communications payloads, NTN and direct-to-device
Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 3
- Transparent (bent-pipe) payloads
- Regenerative payloads and on-board processing
- Multibeam and digitally beamformed payloads
- 5G NR over satellite (NR-NTN)
- IoT over satellite (NB-IoT and LTE-M NTN)
- Direct-to-device in mobile bands
- Mobile satellite services in L and S band
- Store-and-forward satellite IoT
- Satellite broadcast and multicast
Inter-satellite and space-to-ground links
Technologies · 7 · Frontier · 4
- RF inter-satellite links
- Optical inter-satellite links
- Optical space-to-ground links
- Pointing, acquisition and tracking
- Space networking and delay-tolerant routing
- GEO data relay for LEO missions
- Space-based quantum key distribution
Earth observation payload classes
Technologies · 10 · Frontier · 1
- Multispectral optical imagers
- Hyperspectral imagers
- Synthetic aperture radar (X, C, L band)
- Thermal infrared and fire detection
- Atmospheric and greenhouse gas sounders
- GNSS radio occultation and reflectometry
- Space-based AIS and ADS-B reception
- RF spectrum sensing from orbit
- Lidar and radar altimetry
- On-board processing and AI for EO
Tracking, telemetry and command and space safety
Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 1
- TT&C radio links
- Telemetry and telecommand protocols
- Ranging and orbit determination
- Space link security
- Conjunction assessment and collision avoidance
- Space situational awareness sensing
- Space weather monitoring
- Debris mitigation and end-of-life disposal
- Rendezvous, proximity operations and on-orbit servicing
Launch, licensing and regulation
Technologies · 8
- Launch and rideshare integration
- ITU filings: advance publication, coordination, notification
- NGSO–GSO sharing and EPFD
- Landing rights and market access
- Remote sensing licensing
- International space law and registration
- Export controls for space items
- Space sustainability frameworks
Frontier and research
Technologies · 6 · Frontier · 6
- 6G integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks
- Orbital edge computing
- Lunar and cislunar communications and navigation
- Autonomous constellation operations
- Space-based solar power
- In-space assembly and manufacturing
Ground segment
Everything on the ground that talks to spacecraft: gateways and teleports, user terminals, modems and software-defined radio, shared antenna networks, CCSDS protocol stacks, mission control, data processing and the spectrum coordination behind each earth station.
The full directory →Gateways and teleports
Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 1
- NGSO gateway sites
- GEO teleports and hub earth stations
- RF chain: LNA, LNB, BUC and high-power amplifiers
- Site diversity and rain-fade mitigation
- Adaptive coding and modulation
- Teleport facilities, power and lightning protection
- Gateway-to-core interconnection
- Optical ground stations
User terminals
Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 1
- Electronically steered flat-panel terminals
- Parabolic VSAT terminals
- Maritime terminals
- Aeronautical terminals
- Land-mobile and communications-on-the-move
- IoT and low-power satellite terminals
- Multi-orbit and hybrid terrestrial terminals
- Terminal installation and electrical safety
- Handheld and smartphone satellite access
Baseband, modems and software-defined radio
Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 1
- DVB-S2 and DVB-S2X forward links
- DVB-RCS2 return links
- CCSDS modulation and channel coding
- Software-defined radio platforms
- Digital IF and RF-over-IP
- Virtualised and cloud-native modems
- Carrier identification
- NTN gNB and core functions at gateways
Ground-station-as-a-service and antenna networks
Technologies · 7
- Shared antenna networks
- Space link extension services
- Pass scheduling and resource management
- High-latitude and polar ground sites
- Ground segment cybersecurity
- Federated and hybrid ground networks
- Data delivery to cloud and edge
CCSDS protocol stacks
Technologies · 9
- Synchronisation and channel coding
- Space data link protocols
- Space packets and encapsulation
- File delivery
- Delay and disruption tolerant networking
- Space data link security
- Telemetry and command databases
- Navigation data messages
- Data compression
Mission control and flight dynamics
Technologies · 7 · Frontier · 1
- Mission control systems
- Flight dynamics
- Constellation operations automation
- Payload planning and tasking
- Anomaly detection and spacecraft health analytics
- Operations security and access control
- Operational simulators and digital twins
Data downlink, processing and distribution
Technologies · 8
- Level-0 to Level-2 processing chains
- Analysis-ready data production
- Catalogues and discovery
- Cloud-native geospatial formats
- Calibration and validation
- Low-latency tasking-to-delivery pipelines
- Data licensing and access control
- Processing at the antenna edge
Earth station spectrum coordination and interference
Technologies · 7 · Frontier · 1
- Earth station licensing and coordination
- NGSO–GSO interference analysis
- Propagation modelling
- Interference detection and geolocation
- Cross-border coordination
- Protection of radio astronomy and science services
- Satellite and terrestrial spectrum sharing
Remote sensing and Earth observation
Every platform, sensor, processing level and ground-segment step that turns remote measurements of the Earth into calibrated, analysis-ready evidence for a site, a region or a network.
The full directory →Platforms and orbits
Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 1
- Geostationary imagers and sounders
- Low Earth orbit sun-synchronous missions
- Small satellite constellations
- High-altitude platform stations (HAPS)
- Crewed survey aircraft
- Drones and remotely piloted aircraft
- Tethered aerostats and balloon soundings
- Ground-based remote sensing
Optical, spectral and thermal sensors
Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 1
- Panchromatic and very high resolution optical
- Multispectral imagers
- Hyperspectral imaging spectrometers
- Thermal infrared imagers
- Stereo, tri-stereo and video capture
- Ocean colour and aquatic reflectance
- Low-light and night-time imaging
- Solar-induced fluorescence
Radar, lidar and microwave sensors
Technologies · 10 · Frontier · 1
- Synthetic aperture radar by band (P, L, S, C, X, Ku, Ka)
- Interferometric SAR (InSAR)
- Polarimetric SAR (PolSAR)
- Ocean radar backscatter and scatterometry
- Radar altimetry
- Lidar (airborne, drone and spaceborne)
- Passive microwave radiometry
- GNSS radio occultation
- GNSS reflectometry
- Atmospheric sounders and composition instruments
Processing levels and analysis-ready data
Technologies · 9
- Level 0: raw instrument data
- Level 1: calibrated and geolocated
- Level 2: geophysical variables
- Levels 3 and 4: gridded, composited and modelled
- CEOS analysis-ready data
- Atmospheric, terrain and radiometric terrain correction
- Cloud, shadow and quality masking
- Onboard and ground compression
- Product metadata and lineage
Calibration and validation
Technologies · 8
- Pre-flight and onboard calibration
- Vicarious calibration and test sites
- Inter-calibration of satellite instruments
- Fiducial reference measurements
- SAR calibration targets
- Geometric accuracy and ground control
- Product validation stages
- In situ match-up networks
Tasking, ground segment and access
Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 1
- Tasking, mission planning and revisit analysis
- Orbit and conjunction data
- Ground stations and downlink
- Space link extension and station networking
- Direct broadcast and edge processing
- Optical ground stations
- Ground segment security
- Licensing and remote sensing law
- Disaster activation and rapid mapping
Data cubes, analysis and archives
Technologies · 7
- EO data cubes
- Imagery catalogues
- Time-series analysis
- Essential climate, ocean and biodiversity variables
- Fusion with in situ data and models
- Long-term archive and preservation
- Commercial and open data licensing
Frontier and research
Technologies · 8 · Frontier · 8
- Onboard AI and in-orbit processing
- Optical inter-satellite links and data relay
- High-revisit SAR and high-resolution thermal constellations
- Imaging spectroscopy constellations
- Greenhouse gas point-source detection
- EO foundation models and embeddings
- Quantum and cold-atom gravimetry
- Digital twins of the Earth
02Across the network
The whole spectrum, on the main site.
Main siteEvery technology domain
All domains, layers and items, with their sources.Open →Main siteThe spectrum
The technologies of observation on one map.Open →Observatory ProtocolStandards
The open standards the protocol is composed from.Open →03On this site
Where to go next.
Space and satellite systemsAreas
Every area, with its systems and standards.Open →Space and satellite systemsArchitecture
Layers, functions and evidence.Open →Space and satellite systemsIndustries
The industry sites built on this platform.Open →Space and satellite systemsResources
Explainer, stories, specification and forms.Open →Bring us the site.
We bring the survey, the design and the crew. The form names who receives your details.
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