ATLAS Space Operations
An Innovative Solution to Revolutionize Satellite Communication

ATLAS Space Operations was founded with the goal of simplifying access to space by offering communication solutions as a service instead of requiring customized hardware and equipment installations across the globe.

“Our innovative approach aligns perfectly with the ever-increasing number of satellites being launched. We act as a bridge, streamlining access to space and making it easier for businesses to obtain data from space. With the demand for space data continuing to surge, we are committed to providing cutting-edge communication solutions necessary to keep up with this demand,” says Brad Bode, co-founder and Chief Technology and Information Officer of ATLAS Space Operations.

By adopting a groundbreaking approach to satellite communications, it distinguishes itself as a leading provider of Ground Software as a Service^TM (GSaaS) in the industry.

Shining a New Light on Satellite Communication

Five years ago, companies had to install their antennas in multiple countries worldwide, which could cost them up to $100,000 per rack of hardware. In addition, their teams had to be proficient in networking protocols to route data from different locations, while software developers had to extract data from different hardware locations. This resulted in a custom solution for each satellite constellation – a time-consuming and complicated effort for all involved. Design work was required not only for the satellite but for the communication from the ground to space as well, making it an outdated and inefficient process.

ATLAS is revolutionizing this conventional satellite communication process by leveraging its global federated antenna network, combined with its Freedom^TM Software—a global ground network management system—to simplify the downlink of spacecraft data for clients. It manages the hardware and software required to deliver a data stream from space, so clients don’t have to deploy hardware or antennas. Clients can rely on ATLAS to provide a single-entry point in the cloud to access all the data they need from space, without worrying about deploying any hardware or managing complex networking rules.

Its services include a single API that allows clients to book time on ATLAS’s antennas, ensuring they receive data from their satellites that are delivered in the cloud. ATLAS has also implemented multiple security measures to ensure its hardware is safely shared with clients. They can submit a secure token through its single point of entry of data into the cloud to ensure successful cloud implementations without the need to hire extensive software and network engineers. Data is streamed through the cloud using secure tunnels and virtual private clouds, eliminating the need to worry about networking or software interface issues. Consequently, clients can scale quickly and eliminate the need to write complicated software to interface with hardware.

The Building Blocks of Accessible Space Data

ATLAS has a global network of 40 federated antennas, of which eleven are ATLAS-owned and operated. To expand its federated global ground network, ATLAS has integrated AWS Ground Station, becoming the first certified software provider program (SPP) approved reseller of the leading cloud service provider’s 11 antennas. Additionally, ATLAS recently formed an alliance with Viasat Real-Time Earth (RTE), adding 12 antennas to its network footprint, further expanding its reach to more businesses and geographies. This software-driven approach provides ATLAS with a significant advantage to offer a fully managed service that allows clients to access an additional 29 ground stations worldwide, including Viasat RTE, AWS Ground Station, and other partner networks. This close collaboration resulted in a network of networks that enables clients to access multiple ground networks through a single provider–ATLAS.

All these strategically placed antennas are designed to meet specific criteria, such as internet access, power redundancy, weather conditions, and line-of-sight, ensuring a smooth downlink process that does not get hung up on the back end. With access to over 40 antennas, clients have a significant advantage in gaining more access time to antennas anywhere and anytime, resulting in reduced data latency for downlinking data from space. This is especially critical when collecting reliable data for purposes like Earth observation, device connection, wildlife tracking, climate tracking, and many others.

‘Freedom^TM’ in Satellite Communications

ATLAS’s proprietary communications and management software, Freedom^TM, allows clients to effortlessly onboard their missions, manage data flow, and pass execution under a single umbrella.

Freedom features a rapid onboarding process called Copilot.

This tool monitors a client’s behavior and puts a checkmark next to the different tasks they perform during onboarding, verifying the compatibility of their spacecraft with the ATLAS network. It allows them to take risks in a test environment to prevent any failure and ensure successful communication during the actual satellite launch.

In addition, ATLAS has developed a tool that uses its internal API to ensure clients have integrated appropriately, provided test data, and played back the test data with its system in an automated manner. They can use it to simulate risks, trying various scenarios and assessing the consequences, to learn from the experiments and avoid costly troubles.

Freedom also shares the full visibility of data and metrics gathered at each ground site for every satellite pass through its intuitive user interface. “This gives our clients insights into how our team determines the success or failure of a pass. It doesn’t fail that often, but they still require a detailed understanding of what happened, and when,” says Bode.

Automated tools in Freedom collect around 200 metrics from the hardware and provide insights into what the hardware was doing at a particular time. Clients can use this information to flag anomalies that are difficult to find manually and determine if a pass is successful.

The platform also offers a unique scheduling feature that is a step away from the conventional ‘first come, first serve’ model. It supports clients based on their concept of operations and business model to book the time they want to communicate with a satellite. Depending on their specifications, if clients need ‘x’ minutes per day, ATLAS ensures they achieve desired satellite communications and collect the encrypted data necessary for impactful decision-making.

We act as a bridge, streamlining access to space and making it easier for businesses to obtain data from space. With the demand for space data continuing to surge, we are committed to providing cutting-edge communication solutions necessary to keep up with this demand

In one instance, a client approached ATLAS when they didn’t receive the expected service from their existing provider. Using its Copilot onboarding tool, ATLAS integrated them in four weeks, making their satellite launch-ready. This quick turnaround time and effective satellite communication stand as a testament to ATLAS’s core mission.

Supporting the Launch Market

Before a rocket launch, ATLAS communicates with clients to determine the best-suited antennas to cover the path, making it easy to track and monitor rocket health and telemetry. Clients then sign a contract with ATLAS to support the launch. Its global footprint of antennas comes to the rescue, enabling them to seamlessly extract data information from the rocket to Earth in real-time and determine the launch’s success. If something goes wrong, they are notified when and what happened, empowering them to make effective decisions to resolve the issue.

Innovation with a Purpose

As the space industry fosters a new community of ‘New Space,’ there has never been a better time to invest in solutions like ATLAS Space Operations. With a focus on integrating new technology and inspiring others to embrace the ‘as a service’ model, it is at the forefront of the space and satellite communications industry.

Talking about the company’s growth trajectory, Bode says, “We don’t settle for the status quo; we want more.” Rightly so, ATLAS is set on a roadmap focused on enhancing its software capabilities by integrating the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning. This integration will enable it to look at the metrics received from all hardware and determine if something went wrong beyond what a human eye can analyze. In collaboration with NASA and the Air Force Research Lab, ATLAS has received funding to make this possible and will be rolling out the product soon for other industrial ground station providers and satellite operators.

A perfect mixture of telecommunication (global antenna network) and data management capabilities (Freedom^TM Software), ATLAS Space Operations is equipping clients with the tools they need to easily access data from space when they need it.