Introduction
The space industry is undergoing one of the most profound transformations in its history. Private capital is driving rapid commercialisation, while geopolitical shifts are turning space into a new strategic battleground. The result? Hundreds of next-generation satellite programs are being designed and launched, with far greater complexity and higher stakes than ever before.
Yet, while spacecraft technology has advanced—becoming more software-defined, flexible, and autonomous—the ground segment remains stuck in traditional, hardware-based approaches. This mismatch has created a bottleneck that threatens the efficiency, scalability, and security of modern space operations.
As Carmel Ortiz, Senior VP of Systems Innovation at Intelsat, explained in a 2023 panel:
“We cannot do a hardware-based ground infrastructure and operate at the scale that we’re going to need to operate; and that’s particularly true when it comes to talking about software-defined satellites with flexible payloads.”
This article explores three pressing challenges faced by operators relying on legacy ground systems: cost, agility, and resilience.
1. The Cost Challenge
Modern satellite programs are far more complex than those of the past. A single mission may involve:
- Dozens or even hundreds of satellites.
- Multiple orbits and diverse platforms.
- A mix of payloads serving different customers.
Traditional ground segments force operators to build custom systems for each mission, with limited reusability. Manual operations dominate, and automation is extremely difficult due to inconsistent data formats and procedures.
The result is skyrocketing manpower and infrastructure costs. Operating at scale under this model is becoming increasingly unsustainable, particularly as new entrants and business models demand leaner, more efficient approaches.
2. The Agility Challenge
The space environment is no longer static. Operators need systems that can adapt quickly to:
- Payload reconfiguration in software-defined satellites.
- Orbit adjustments to avoid collisions or meet new mission objectives.
- System evolutions, such as upgrading to new hardware versions or meeting customer demands.
Legacy ground systems, however, are rigid. They require slow, costly updates and involve too many manual processes to keep up with dynamic operational needs. This rigidity creates “operational paralysis,” making it impossible to manage frequent changes at scale.
Greg Quiggle, Senior VP of Product Management at Kratos, summed it up:
“Dynamic orchestration is what allows you to really be able to tune a network in literally minute-by-minute increments to get peak performance out of all of the infrastructure… When you do this fully virtualized and fully orchestrated, it really opens the door to a whole new era of business models and scale.”
Without agility, operators risk falling behind in competitive markets or being unable to respond to real-time challenges effectively.
3. The Resilience Challenge
As satellites become critical infrastructure for communications, navigation, security, and daily services, resilience is no longer optional. Threats include:
- Cyberattacks from state and non-state actors.
- Risks from armed conflicts or geopolitical tensions.
- Vulnerabilities caused by the sheer number of distributed hardware systems and partners.
Legacy ground systems, anchored to fixed physical locations, are especially vulnerable. Securing them often means heavy investments in physical protections—fences, guards, and hardened facilities—that do little to address modern cyber or hybrid threats.
Mike Dean, Director of Command, Control, and Communications at the US Department of Defense, put it as:
“We think about the space segment, we think about the terminals, but we always forget the ground. Building a true satellite internet requires not just satellites and terminals, but a complete reimagining of the ground infrastructure.”
The consequence? High costs, potential non-compliance with emerging regulations, and the looming risk of catastrophic mission failures.
Key Takeaway
The future of space operations demands more than just advanced satellites—it requires a fundamentally new approach to ground systems. The legacy model of hardware-centric, mission-specific ground infrastructure cannot meet the cost, agility, and resilience needs of modern programs.
For space operators, the lesson is clear: success in the new space era hinges on evolving the ground segment just as much as the space segment.
