Brenda Marie Rivers
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has launched a software-defined satellite ground station as a service offering built to digitize radio-frequency signals and virtualize satellite communications operations.
Kratos said Tuesday the OpenSpace platform virtualizes most elements of a satellite network that involve control, orchestration and management for applications such as electro-optical sensing.
OpenSpace is also designed to integrate Kratos' Virtual Network Functions in cloud environments or commercial off-the-shelf servers, the company noted.
In a separate announcement, Kratos said its VNF suite consolidates disparate hardware components such as recorders and modems to support remote sensing and Earth observation missions.
VNF technologies are also built to work with the OpenSpace OpsCenter and Controller tools for end-to-end satellite operations without making hardware-level modifications.
Phil Carrai, president of the space, training and cybersecurity division at Kratos, said OpenSpace builds on the company's decades of experience developing "standards-based signal processing and ground management products" that are interoperable with multiple satellites and mission frameworks.
Kratos previously partnered with Micosoft to integrate the OpenSpace VNF with the new Azure Orbital GSaaS.
