Each year, Via Satellite magazine and its readers recognize a handful of technologies for either their notable level of innovation, their contribution to the development of the space and satellite industries as a whole, their influence on global events, their notable success in the market, or a combination of these achievements. We’ve nominated six standout technologies for our 2022 Satellite Technology of the Year Award, representing a wide range of products and services in connectivity, imagery, software, and emergency services. The 2022 list also includes our first nomination of a technically non-satellite company.
The winner of the award will be determined by a public vote combined with the votes of the Via Satellite editorial board. The winner will be announced during the Via Satellite awards luncheon on Wednesday, March 15, at the SATELLITE 2023 conference in Washington, D.C. Voting is open online from Feb. 22 to 12 p.m. on March 14 and can be accessed at satellitetoday.com/vote. Here are the 2022 Technology of the Year nominees.
This year, ATLAS is proud to be one of six technologies nominated by Via Satellite as the 2022 Satellite Technology of the Year, for our “Freedom” Ground-Software-as-a-Service.
ATLAS Space Operations’ proprietary Ground-Software-as-a-Service (GSaaS) platform, Freedom, automates communications processes, pre-plans satellite passes and eliminates the need for satellite owners to act as ground station operators. It is entirely cloud-based, utilizing Amazon Web Services, and data-driven. Freedom leverages more than 1 billion data points, organized and presented in an upgraded user interface allowing customers to determine if a pass is a success or a failure, and gain visibility across the entire network. These features allow government agency end-users to easily scale and adapt their operations.
By developing Freedom, ATLAS aimed to solve a common challenge in the satellite ground systems world – overcoming the rigidity and complexity of legacy systems. In the days before cloud-based GSaaS, most ground technologies did not allow data sharing unless customers invested in building their own complex software solutions to accommodate this need. The Freedom software, coupled with the Atlas team of software experts, is compatible with any ground site hardware.
Via Satellite is recognizing Atlas for its innovation in the cloud and for sustained success that has contributed directly to the rapid and widening adoption of GSaaS. The Freedom platform received a major government endorsement in 2017 when Atlas signed a multi-million dollar contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the agency’s National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) missions throughout a multi-year term. Since then, Atlas reports it has completed 52,000 passes for NOAA with more than 98 percent availability, with low latency of under 26 seconds – a feat that stands out in today’s competitive ground systems market.
Original article posted by Via Satellite can be found here.
The Port Administration of American Samoa will host advanced satellite tracking antennas for ATLAS Space Operations, enhancing satellite ground-station services in the South Pacific. This partnership supports NOAA and military clients, improves real-time data coverage, and contributes to local infrastructure funding. Construction began on March 2, 2026.
The space industry faces a critical issue where ground software engineering contracts are often awarded to companies lacking the necessary expertise in ground systems. This misallocation results in poorly designed systems and high maintenance costs. To resolve this, ground systems must be recognized as essential infrastructure, demanding dedicated expertise and a clean architectural approach.
Finnish NewSpace company NorthBase and ATLAS Space Operations have partnered to enhance satellite ground station services in Finnish Lapland. The new NorthBase Muonio site joins the ATLAS Freedom network, improving global antenna access and providing significant coverage capabilities, especially with the 3.9 meter S/X band antenna in a secure location.
ATLAS Space Operations, a leading GSaaS provider for satellite communications, is to be acquired by York Space Systems, marking a significant milestone for its founders and investors. The acquisition, pending FCC approval, aims to enhance growth, job creation, and innovation within the Traverse City community while maintaining ATLAS’s operations and brand.
