NO INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED
Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS)
Book satellite contacts, downlink data, and deliver to your cloud—without building ground infrastructure.
Vendor-matched quotes
Not a directory—we match your needs to qualified providers
Mini-SOW qualification
Filters tire-kickers and surfaces high-intent buyers
Fast scheduling + clear pricing models
On-demand vs reserved capacity, transparent pricing
LEO EO constellation / DemoSat / Hosted payload
X-band payload downlink (or S-band TT&C)
Next 30 days (flexible) or Reserved (Feb 10–20)
Global network (polar required) / 3 regions
Direct to cloud (S3) / Secure endpoint
Standard / Priority / Mission-critical
What is GSaaS?
GSaaS is managed access to ground stations, scheduling, and data delivery, typically pay-as-you-go. Instead of building your own ground infrastructure (which requires capex, licensing, staffing, and global coverage), GSaaS provides antennas, scheduling, delivery, and optional mission ops as a service.
Antenna Infrastructure
Scheduling & Logistics
Data Delivery Pipeline
HOW IT WORKS
How GSaaS works.
From defining your mission needs to operating at scale, Full Orbit coordinates ground station access as a single service with reserved windows, provider matching, and one accountable SLA.
1
Define mission + comms needs
Band, data rate, latency, regions, and operational requirements.
2
Provider match
Full Orbit matches network type, compliance fit, and coverage to your needs.
3
Scheduling & pass planning
Conflict handling, lead times, reserved windows, and automated orchestration.
Satellite Contact Scheduling →
4
Downlink + delivery
Direct to cloud (S3/secure endpoints) or customer ground infrastructure.
Direct-to-Cloud Downlink →
5
Operate & scale
Automated orchestration, SLAs, 24/7 ops add-ons, and performance tracking.
Ground Station API & Pass Orchestration →
Vendor types.
Full Orbit works with different types of ground station providers. Each vendor type serves different mission needs and pricing models.
Global shared ground-station networks (multi-site)
Best for
Multi-region coverage, polar support, redundancy
Typical pricing
Per-minute or subscription
What you'll need to provide
Mission profile, band requirements, regions
On-Demand vs Reserved Contacts →
Dedicated ground stations (single-tenant / leased capacity)
Best for
Mission-critical operations, exclusive access
Typical pricing
Monthly/annual lease
What you'll need to provide
Long-term commitment, dedicated scheduling
Cloud-integrated ground stations
Best for
Direct-to-cloud downlink, immediate processing
Typical pricing
Per-minute + cloud storage/egress
What you'll need to provide
Cloud account, data delivery endpoints
Direct-to-Cloud Downlink →
Teleports + partner networks
Best for
Bundled backhaul, regional coverage
Typical pricing
Per-pass or bundled
What you'll need to provide
Regional requirements, backhaul needs
Mission ops providers (LEOP, 24/7 console, anomaly response)
Best for
LEOP, critical missions, 24/7 support
Typical pricing
Subscription + per-contact
What you'll need to provide
LEOP timeline, on-call requirements
LEOP Ground Station Support →
Pass orchestration software vendors (scheduling layer / API-first)
Best for
API integration, automated scheduling
Typical pricing
Software license + provider costs
What you'll need to provide
API integration, scheduling automation
Ground Station API & Pass Orchestration →
THE CHECKLIST
What buyers compare.
A procurement checklist designed to match how ops/procurement teams think about ground station selection.
Coverage
• Regions needed (US / EU / APAC / Polar)
• Minimum elevation masks
• Polar support requirements
Bands
Throughput
Scheduling
• Lead time requirements
• Conflict resolution
• Reserved windows (on-demand vs reserved)
Satellite Contact Scheduling →
Data delivery
• Direct-to-cloud (AWS / Azure / GCP)
• Encryption requirements
• Storage endpoints
Direct-to-Cloud Downlink →
Reliability
• SLA requirements
• Redundancy needs
• Weather mitigation
Compliance
• Gov/commercial classification
• Data residency requirements
• Export constraints
Integration
• API requirements
• Mission profile concepts
• Tooling preferences
Ground Station API & Pass Orchestration →
Use cases.
EO downlink to processing pipeline
Earth observation satellites downlink imagery directly to cloud storage for immediate processing and analysis.
Direct-to-Cloud Downlink →
TT&C for early ops
Launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) requires urgent, reliable contact scheduling with 24/7 support.
S-Band TT&C Services →
LEOP commissioning (urgent + high stakes)
Critical first contacts after launch require guaranteed windows, redundancy, and mission ops integration.
LEOP Ground Station Support →
Burst downlink during campaigns
High-volume data downlink during specific mission phases or campaigns, requiring reserved capacity.
On-Demand vs Reserved Contacts →
Multi-satellite contact scheduling
Constellation operators need coordinated scheduling across multiple satellites with conflict resolution.
Satellite Contact Scheduling →
DEEP DIVES
Explore ground station topics
Pricing overview.
Per-minute / per-pass (on-demand)
Pay only for antenna time used
No commitment, flexible scheduling
MOST POPULAR
Reserved capacity / committed minutes
Discount pricing for committed capacity
Priority scheduling and guaranteed windows
Subscription / flat-rate bundles
Monthly or annual subscriptions
Unlimited passes within limits
Dedicated / single-tenant leases
Exclusive access to ground station
Full control over scheduling
Pricing depends on band, throughput, geography, SLA tier, and schedule urgency. Want real numbers? Get 2–3 quotes in 24–48h.
GSaaS FAQs
What is Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS)?
GSaaS is managed access to ground stations, scheduling, and data delivery, typically pay-as-you-go. It provides antennas, scheduling, delivery, and optional mission ops without requiring you to build your own ground infrastructure. NASA defines GSaaS as pay-as-you-go managed ground services.
How far in advance can I schedule contacts?
Lead times vary by provider and capacity. On-demand contacts can often be scheduled within days or weeks, while reserved capacity windows can be booked months in advance. Full Orbit coordinates scheduling across providers to find the best available windows for your mission.
Satellite Contact Scheduling →
Do providers offer on-demand vs reserved capacity?
Yes. Most providers offer both models. On-demand (pay-per-minute/pass) provides flexibility without commitment. Reserved capacity offers discounted pricing and priority scheduling for committed minutes. AWS Ground Station explicitly distinguishes these scheduling modes.
On-Demand vs Reserved Contacts →
Can I downlink directly to AWS/S3 or my cloud?
Yes. Many providers support direct-to-cloud downlink, delivering data directly into AWS S3, Azure, GCP, or other cloud regions. This enables immediate processing without intermediate storage. AWS Ground Station supports scheduling contacts via console/SDK and allows data delivery workflows.
Direct-to-Cloud Downlink →
What's the difference between TT&C and payload downlink?
TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking, and Command) uses S-band for spacecraft control, health monitoring, and command uplink. Payload downlink uses X-band, Ka-band, or other frequencies to transmit mission data (imagery, sensor data, etc.) at higher data rates. Both can be provided as GSaaS.
S-Band TT&C →
Is GSaaS viable for LEOP?
Yes. LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) requires urgent, reliable contact scheduling and 24/7 support. Many GSaaS providers offer LEOP-specific packages with guaranteed windows, on-call support, and mission ops integration. Full Orbit can match you with LEOP-qualified providers.
LEOP Ground Station Support →
What affects price the most?
Price depends on band (S/X/Ka), throughput (data rate), geography (regions, polar coverage), SLA tier (standard/priority/mission-critical), and schedule urgency. Reserved capacity typically offers 20-40% discounts vs on-demand. Dedicated leases are highest cost but provide exclusive access.
Ground Station Pricing →
Do I need my own ground software?
Not necessarily. Many GSaaS providers include mission ops software, scheduling APIs, and integration tools. However, if you have existing ground software, providers can integrate via APIs. Full Orbit can help match you with providers that support your preferred tooling.
Ground Station API & Pass Orchestration →
How does scheduling conflict resolution work?
Providers use automated scheduling systems to handle conflicts. Reserved capacity gets priority over on-demand. If conflicts arise, providers typically offer alternative windows or routes. Full Orbit coordinates across multiple providers to ensure your mission gets scheduled even if one provider has conflicts.
Satellite Contact Scheduling →
What compliance considerations exist for GSaaS?
Compliance depends on mission type (commercial/civil/defense), data residency requirements, export constraints, and regulatory jurisdiction. Providers typically support commercial and civil missions. Defense missions may require ITAR-compliant providers. Full Orbit can match you with compliance-appropriate providers.