Airbus Defence and Space has selected Skynopy, a French NewSpace company specialising in satellite ground station services. The partnership aims to enhance the ground segment performance of the Pléiades Neo very high-resolution Earth observation constellation.
As a result, Airbus improves the speed and reliability of its optical imagery services. The company integrates Skynopy’s fully virtualised and software-driven ground station systems. Consequently, these systems reduce data latency in several regions worldwide. This improvement answers growing demand for faster access to very high-resolution satellite imagery.
Pléiades Neo is Airbus’ advanced optical Earth observation constellation. It delivers native 30-centimetre resolution imagery. Moreover, the system supports fast tasking and rapid delivery. Airbus designed the constellation for high reactivity and operational flexibility.
Improving Earth Observation Responsiveness
Pléiades Neo satellites support many operational needs. For example, defence and security users rely on rapid image access. In addition, emergency teams use the data for disaster response. Civil engineering and environmental monitoring also benefit from frequent updates. Commercial customers increasingly depend on fast delivery.
By integrating Skynopy’s ground station services, Airbus Defence and Space improves data acquisition and downlink performance. As a result, the delay between image capture and data delivery decreases. Customers receive imagery faster through the OneAtlas platform. Therefore, users can react more quickly during time-sensitive missions.
Faster delivery strengthens operational decision-making. Consequently, customers gain better situational awareness. Responsiveness now plays a key role in Earth observation service selection.
Software-Defined Ground Operations
Skynopy provides a fully software-defined ground segment. The system uses centralised orchestration and virtualised modem technologies. Therefore, it replaces many traditional hardware-based operations.
Operators can deploy new ground stations quickly. Moreover, teams can reassign resources as mission needs change. This flexibility allows operators to adapt without long delays. As a result, operations scale more easily.
The software-driven approach shortens integration timelines. In addition, it improves operational efficiency. Teams manage ground infrastructure remotely and update systems faster than before. Consequently, operators reduce complexity and cost.
Proven Operational Performance
Earlier this year, Airbus and Skynopy conducted an operational test of the solution. During the test, teams deployed new capabilities within weeks. Shortly after, the system transitioned to operational service within months. These timelines significantly outperform traditional ground segment deployments.
Throughout testing, the system maintained real-time data downlink. Moreover, service quality remained stable during operations. Therefore, the results confirmed the solution’s readiness for demanding Earth observation missions.
“This collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space shows how a software-defined ground segment delivers real performance gains,” said Antonin Hirsch, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Skynopy. “Our team helps operators deploy infrastructure faster and operate with greater flexibility.”
Industry And NewSpace Collaboration
“This partnership highlights Airbus’ ability to work with innovative European startups to enhance Earth observation services,” said Éric Even, Head of Space Digital at Airbus Defence and Space.
Meanwhile, the collaboration reflects broader changes across the space sector. Agile and software-driven solutions now support next-generation satellite systems. Therefore, operators increasingly treat ground infrastructure as a strategic asset.
Skynopy was founded in 2023 by Pierre Bertrand and Antonin Hirsch. Since then, the company has deployed a global network of 17 operational ground stations. Notably, teams completed deployment in just 18 months. Around ten satellite operators already use the service.
In parallel, Skynopy is scaling through the AKAR project, developed with Eutelsat. The programme aims to deploy S-, X- and Ka-band ground stations. Ultimately, the goal is to deliver real-time, high-throughput connectivity for Earth observation satellites.
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