Extending operational ground networks for in-orbit satellites

Launching satellites has never been easier, but for many operators, especially those running Earth Observation missions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the real challenge begins after liftoff. Reliable ground connectivity, which enables communication between satellites and ground stations, can become a major bottleneck. As missions grow more complex, operators must deliver fresher data faster, transmit more information, and respond swiftly to operational demands. This calls for smarter, more adaptable ground segments, ones that scale with demand, support evolving radio technologies, and integrate quickly into operations.

This challenge became real for EnduroSat, a leading satellite manufacturing company, whose Balkan-1 Earth Observation satellite was launched in January 2025. After six months in orbit, EnduroSat’s team needed to significantly scale its data return capacity to meet growing market demand. To achieve this, EnduroSat partnered with Skynopy and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to expand its ground segment. Skynopy is a Paris-based spacetech company and an AWS Partner providing end-to-end connectivity as a service for satellites in LEO. They offer a turnkey solution for satellite operators, streamlining the complex process of linking satellites with ground stations.

In this post, we explore how satellite operators can overcome similar hurdles by expanding ground communication capabilities for in-orbit satellites. Using the Balkan-1 mission as a real-world example, we show how Skynopy and AWS enabled a smooth transition from sandbox testing to fully optimized operations in under 45 days.

Skynopy’s solution for satellite operators

To help satellite operators like EnduroSat quickly scale their data capacity, Skynopy provides a secure, cloud-native managed virtualized ground segment solution built according to AWS Well-Architected principles. Central to this offering is AWS Ground Station, a managed service enabling secure, low-latency satellite communication through a global network of 12 physical ground station locations across the globe that help ground segment builders address satellite data acquisition and data transport challenges. Skynopy’s turnkey connectivity platform enables operators to benefit from Skynopy’s radiofrequency expertise. Furthermore, it enables rapid integration and benefits from the AWS global infrastructure and network, which is built for performance—thereby transforming raw telemetry data into actionable insights within seconds.

Figure 1. Extract from Skynopy Operation Frontend

But how exactly do operators integrate Skynopy’s solution into their satellite missions? In the following sections we explore the practical steps, starting from simulation and testing to fully operational deployment.

Step 1: Prepare to integrate by simulating first

Considering their criticality, space operations must be thoroughly tested and validated in advance. To do so, Skynopy provides a sandbox environment, a digital twin of the operational ground segment, hosted entirely on AWS. This environment allows operators to simulate, validate, and rehearse every stage of the communication chain under mission-like conditions.

Within this sandbox, operators can:

• Validate ground interfaces from contact reservation and station configuration to radio-specific parameters and assess the real performance gain of new ground station scenarios.
• Simulate satellite passes including both telemetry and telecommand links and mission data flows with realistic contact dynamics and delivery conditions, complete with operational metrics and diagnostics.

All of this can be done without any risk to live operations and without incurring operational costs, allowing teams to experiment quickly and move forward with confidence.

One of this sandbox’s enablers is the AWS Ground Station digital twin feature, which allows you to test contact scheduling, verify configurations, and conduct proper error handling without using production antenna capacity.

Using Skynopy’s sandbox, EnduroSat was able to simulate and validate the entire communication workflow, from contact scheduling and ground station setup to mission data retrieval, in a controlled, risk-free environment. This included full API integration and rehearsal of satellite passes using realistic contact scenarios and telemetry flows.

This pre-integration phase gave EnduroSat’s team the confidence to move forward quickly. Based on the successful evaluation, EnduroSat decided to extend its downlink capacity by onboarding two more ground stations, knowing that performance, compatibility, and operational behavior had already been validated end-to-end.

Step 2: Integrate with zero downtime through co-visibility signal capture

Now we are transitioning from simulation to real-world implementation with first-pass success. Skynopy can build and deploy a working configuration for the mission with nothing more than a “Ground-to-Satellite Interface Control Document” (ICD) describing the communication characteristics.

If raw digitized radio signal data (called sample IQ) is available, then it’s used to validate the setup in advance. If not, then Skynopy uses co-visibility. Thanks to co-visibility capture, a single satellite flyover of one of the new stations (or a station already in Skynopy’s network) is all it takes. During that pass, Skynopy establishes the link and simultaneously captures raw IQ signal data through AWS Digital Intermediate Frequency (DigIF)-compatible interfaces.

This approach enables Skynopy to fine-tune demodulation parameters, even for highly customized or non-standard waveforms, and complete integration with zero disruption to ongoing operations. From licensing and station preparation to baseband configuration and waveform alignment, Skynopy manages the entire integration chain end-to-end, which results in a fully operational setup delivered in days, not months.

When the sandbox validation was completed, Balkan-1 was licensed for two AWS Ground Station locations within weeks, and the first live pass was used to perform co-visibility IQ signal capture using Skynopy’s DigIF-compliant interface.

Despite Balkan-1 operating with a custom, high-data-rate X-band waveform, signal acquisition and decoding were successful on the very first attempt. This allowed Skynopy to rapidly fine-tune demodulation parameters using real mission data, without needing prior IQ samples or interrupting operations. With the waveform validated in real conditions and custom telemetry metrics integrated, EnduroSat was able to transition smoothly into production—all within a matter of days.

Step 3: Deploy in days with a customizable and scalable infrastructure

Now comes the critical step: moving to production. Thanks to its supporting AWS cloud-native infrastructure, modular architecture (such as modem, frontend processor, storage, and dissemination components), and a high degree of automation, Skynopy can deploy a dedicated mission environment in minutes. Using containerized microservices orchestrated by Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), Skynopy makes sure of flexible and rapid deployment of mission-specific stacks. This results in seamless and highly scalable operations.

Following waveform validation, Skynopy deployed a tailored production environment for Balkan-1 in just a few days, fully adapted to its high-rate X-band transmitter. EnduroSat transitioned confidently into routine operations with zero downtime, automated orchestration, and live monitoring from day one.

Step 4: Optimize in operation with adaptive coding and modulation

Skynopy’s value doesn’t stop at enabling new ground station communication opportunities—it extends into real-time link optimization. Through advanced techniques such as Adaptive Coding & Modulation (ACM) and Variable Coding & Modulation (VCM), Skynopy makes sure that each satellite pass operates at maximum efficiency.

Rather than relying on a fixed, conservative modulation and coding (ModCod) scheme, which constrains data throughput, Skynopy allows operators to dynamically adjust modulation and coding in real time, based on live link conditions. This guarantees the highest achievable throughput at every moment, resulting in more data per pass, fewer retransmissions, and significantly reduced operational costs. To learn more, you can contact Skynopy to request their ACM/VCM whitepaper.

Further amplifying this flexibility, AWS Ground Station provides satellite operators with per-minute, on-demand pricing, eliminating fixed infrastructure costs and aligning expenses directly with usage.

For Balkan-1, Skynopy used the satellite’s next-generation high-rate X-band transmitter to enable Adaptive Coding & Modulation (ACM). Dynamically optimizing the link in real time enabled Skynopy to double the volume of data downloaded during each contact, unlocking the full potential of the onboard hardware while ensuring highly efficient use of ground resources.

Looking forward

This post showcases how LEO satellite operators can seamlessly scale their operational ground network, even with an already in-orbit satellite. With Skynopy’s virtualized ground network, powered by AWS, operators benefit from the following:

• Reduced time-to-integration, now measured in days not months
• Risk-free onboarding, without disruption of routine operations
• Modular connectivity infrastructure, tailored to mission-specific needs
• Maximized throughput, enabled by real-time optimization and advanced communication concepts like ACM/VCM

In a space landscape where agility is key, the combination of Skynopy’s software and space expertise and the AWS global infrastructure unlocks a new paradigm for satellite-ground operations. Whether launching a new constellation or expanding connectivity for an existing satellite, this partnership makes sure that every operator can innovate faster, deploy smarter, and operate with confidence.