OpenSpace is a Software-Defined Platform for Satellite Ground Communication

The Digital Evolution of Satellite Operations

Space is more dynamic than ever with multi-orbit satellites, software-defined payloads and thousands of spacecraft. With OpenSpace™, the ground system becomes dynamic too. Almost every piece of the ground station can now be turned from hardware to software, with the power to react immediately to changing conditions.

Scalable and Flexible

OpenSpace enables ground systems to take advantage of software-defined networking and virtualization to:

Instantiate Services on Demand for Threat and Supply
Execute Just-in-Time Deployments
Automate Complex Network Configurations
Manage Multi-satellite, Multi-orbit Operations

OpenSpace™

A new approach to enable dynamic ground system operations that is driven by common interfaces and open standards, providing a truly adaptable, scalable, and flexible platform. With OpenSpace, almost every piece of the ground station can be turned from hardware to software and can react dynamically to changing conditions.

The OpenSpace platform is the first fully digital, virtualized, software-defined and orchestrated platform in the satellite industry.

OpenSpace disrupts ground networks based upon purpose-built, proprietary hardware and stove-piped software applications in favor of standards-based, fully integrated, end-to-end service delivery running on COTS servers or in the cloud.

Software defined network that can be dynamically configured, managed, deployed
Virtual functions that run on generic, inexpensive computers or in the cloud
Dynamic to match the capabilities of new payloads, supporting LEO, MEO, GEO
Open, to allow integration with other applications on the ground and space layer

How can the ground segment keep pace with changes in space?

In the coming world of thousands of multi-orbit, highly configurable spacecraft, a ground system built for one payload or one constellation just isn’t going to scale, won’t enable roaming, won’t be resilient or reliable, and won’t enable the new applications and services required in air and on the ground.

Change is happening at an accelerated pace bringing with it bigger demands for data, security and scalability. To keep up, ground satellite operations may need to shift too.

The satellite ground network infrastructure is on the cusp of a fundamental change. Ground network technology must shift from purpose-built, proprietary hardware architectures to software-defined, flexible, and extensible virtual platforms.

Northern Sky Research, a global leader in Satellite & Space Market Research

The Technology Revolution on the Ground is Here. Are you Ready?

Phil Carrai, president of Kratos Space, Training and Cyber speaks on Federal Tech Talk, a podcast for the Federal News Network. Multi-orbit spacecraft, the coming of proliferated LEO, and huge innovations on the payload side mean that Space is more configurable than ever. By virtualizing components, a dynamic, resilient, and cost-effective ground system can be just as dynamic. Listen to this insightful talk and learn more about OpenSpace and the underlying architectural principles that are igniting the revolution.