Originally published by Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency on May 03, 2023.
ATLAS Space Operations, a veteran-founded business in Traverse City, Michigan, has earned Gold-Level Veteran-Friendly Employer (VFE) status from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) for its commitment to hiring, retaining and supporting military veterans. ATLAS becomes the 24th employer in Michigan to earn Gold status.
The prestigious Gold-Level designation has been granted to approximately 4% of the more than 571 VFEs across the state for their commitment to supporting veterans and National Guard and Reserve members.
Founded in 2015, ATLAS is the leading provider of ground communications software in the space communications industry. ATLAS has been recognized by the World Teleport Association as one of the fastest-growing teleport operators in the world for the past three years, and ranked #30 on Fortune America’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023.
“ATLAS Space Operations is very proud to reach gold status for Michigan, and proud of how we approach bringing veterans into our company,” says Mike Carey, Strategy at ATLAS Space Operations. “We have found that veterans bring a skill, aptitude and attitude that fits our corporate culture and core values in that veterans are self-starters, lifelong learners, committed teammates, and problem solvers. Our veterans have already demonstrated that they are committed to something larger than themselves with their prior service, and at ATLAS we are pursuing a global challenge of modernizing and simplifying the complex nature of connecting humanity through space via our ground software as a service for the ever-growing number of orbiting satellites.”
With a total of 46 employees, 26 in Michigan, veterans make up approximately 42% of ATLAS Space Operations’ workforce. In the last 12 months the company has hired six veterans and retained 83% of its veteran employees.
“ATLAS Space Operations truly exemplifies what it means to be a Veteran-Friendly Employer,” said MVAA Director Adam Hollier. “They have one of the highest veteran retention rates in the entire state which shows they are doing things the right way to maintain their veteran workforce. I’m proud to see ATLAS join the ranks of our Gold-Level VFEs and hope they will serve as an example to other groups in Michigan. The secret is out that investing in veterans and veteran spouses will lead to more successful outcomes in the workplace.”
ATLAS recently made the jump from Silver to Gold VFE. Among the company’s veteran benefits include a veteran-specific hiring and onboarding process, annual PTO for VA health care appointments, a specific benefit package that includes continued health care coverage for currently serving Guard/Reserve members that are activated and a veteran-specific employee retention program. ATLAS is also a Michigan Veteran Connector.
For more on the VFE program, visit Michigan.gov/MVAA.
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.
York Space Systems, a defense technology company transforming how the United States builds and operates space-based capabilities, today announced that its parent company has agreed to acquire ATLAS Space Operations, a pioneer in Ground Software as a Service (GSaaS) for satellite communications. The move brings York a powerful, software-led ground architecture that simplifies operations, removes integration barriers, and enhances space-to-ground resilience—accelerating York’s ability to deliver secure, mission-ready space systems at unmatched speed and value.
