A Community-Driven Approach to Democratize Access to Satellite Ground Stations

Abstract

If you were to launch a small satellite in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) today, the cost of installing/renting ground stations around the world to maintain global coverage is likely to rival the satellite launch costs. While satellite launch costs for small players have reduced significantly due to the emergence of ride sharing programs operated by both public and private organizations, access to ground station infrastructure is still a luxury due to the immense cost and form factor of the components involved, which need to be installed in a large, elevated area free from any obstructions.