Image of Clyde Space’s new ground station. Photo: Clyde Space.

Clyde Space has commissioned a ground station at its Glasgow, Scotland headquarters to control and track satellites for its customers. The station includes a fine accuracy rotator system enabling high data rate technology; bespoke networking permitting remote locating of antenna arrays; and a full Radio Frequency (RF) front end based around space capable Commercial Off-the Shelf (COTS) componentry and a modular architecture.

Clyde Space is now able to both manufacture CubeSats and monitor them throughout their journey in space. The ground station’s key functions will be to control and operate the satellites, supporting each specific space mission and to develop understanding and knowledge for in-flight testing. It will be able to track several satellites at once, although communication with the assets will depend on their orbit cycles, the company said.

According to Clyde Space, its ground station solution has already attracted interest from customers in the Asian, European and American markets, with two ground stations being commissioning in the Middle East and United States currently. The company funded the installation with the aid of a Scottish Enterprise SMART grant.