Podcast originally hosted by Terrapin Small Biz Connection on Sept. 20, 2020
Remember how ET phoned home? That’s kind of how Mike describes the satellites his company, Atlas Space Operations, uses their software. We also get into the reasons why his company is headquartered in northern Michigan, what he finds people still misunderstand about the space industry, and more.
Our CTO & Co-Founder Brad Bode joined Constellations for the first installment of The Decision Layer. Drawing on 26 years of building mission software, Brad explains why ground and mission software should meet at one clean interface, why owning hardware was never the goal, and how space relay could reshape the ground segment.
York Space Systems and ATLAS Space Operations have brought a new antenna into service at Rwanda’s Mwulire teleport. Sitting two degrees south of the equator, the site can now support two satellite contacts at once, expanding equatorial coverage across the ATLAS federated network. Missions already on Freedom can begin booking contacts there with no new integration work.
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.
