Spire Global launches satellite mission operations platform

This web-based app simplifies satellite constellation operations with its user-friendly interface and is co-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) under the ARTES Core Competitiveness (CC) Programme, with a €1.5 million award to Spire, along with support from the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA). 

Spire's Constellation Management Platform is the latest innovation from Spire Space Services, offering customers an end-to-end solution to build, launch, and operate their satellite constellation for a flat monthly fee. Spire provides standardised Space as a Service missions that support various use cases, including Earth observation, connectivity, radio frequency intelligence, and space domain awareness. This approach makes it easier and faster for customers to deploy their satellites and scale their constellations.

Traditionally, satellite constellation operations have been complex and resource-intensive, requiring a team to operate satellites around the clock. Leveraging over a decade of experience operating the world's largest multi-payload satellite constellation, Spire automates and optimises satellite operations, enabling companies to manage their satellites with just one person and a laptop.

The platform allows users to interact directly with their satellites, facilitating tasking, scheduling, monitoring payload, data, fleet health, and mission planning through a user-friendly interface. It simplifies access to Spire's ground operations software, which connects to a global ground station network for tracking, scheduling, commanding, data downlinking, and telemetry monitoring. Built using Amazon Web Services, it delivers satellite data directly into a customer's ecosystem and is also accessible through a Spire API.

Frank Frulio, General Manager of Space Services at Spire, said: "Typically, you need an army of experts to do that, but we've simplified space so that anyone can easily manage satellites and gain insights from space to give their business a competitive edge."

Spire's Constellation Management Platform is available to customers who build, launch, and operate satellites with Space Services, as well as those seeking to simplify and optimise operations for an existing constellation.

Dietmar Schmitt, acting Head of Systems, Strategic Programme Lines, and Technology Department for the ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications Directorate, noted that the platform simplifies constellation mission operations, offering an automated end-to-end satellite operations system managed through a web application, leading to more efficient resource utilisation and space asset management.