Raytheon Technologies’ intelligence and space business is developing a constellation management system that will enable operators to control multiple satellites from a single ground infrastructure.
 Raytheon said Monday the platform will also allow satellites to communicate with each other to speed up space-to-ground data transmission.
The company noted that it envisions the satellite management technology to support environmental data collection activities as well as long-range weather forecasting operations.
Bob Canty, vice president for constellation management and protection for RI&S, said the technology would also mitigate reliance on multiple ground stations while supporting data-driven forecasts.
“We aren’t building something theoretical,†said Jeff Schloemer, chief engineer at RI&S. “Managing multiple satellites from one ground system works right now.â€
Schloemer noted that platforms such as Maxar Technologies’ Constellation Scheduling System have previously been used to consolidate the operations of multiple satellites into one ground station.