Objectives of the Product

Aerospacelab’s MSCM addresses critical gaps in the Earth observation (EO) data ecosystem by developing robust ground and user segment software for satellite constellation management. The key challenges faced by satellite operators and EO data users include fragmented operations tooling, lack of integrated data processing pipelines, limited interoperability with existing datasets such as the ones from Sentinel-2, and insufficient security compliance for institutional customers.

MSCM delivers a comprehensive solution comprising Mission Control Software (MCS) for constellation operations, an Image Processing Pipeline (IPP) for automated radiometric and geometric corrections, a Tasking Tool for acquisition scheduling, and a Data Platform for product dissemination.

These products are complemented by ISO 27001 and GDPR certifications, ensuring compliance with the most demanding institutional security requirements. The MSCM products are already deployed and operationally validated on internal and commercial satellite constellations, supporting 10 satellites in orbit, and are designed to scale to more than 100 satellite constellation operations.

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Customers and their Needs

MSCM targets three primary customer segments:

• Satellite Operators require robust software infrastructure for the reception, processing, storage, and analysis of data from satellite constellations, as well as reliable constellation operations management scaling from single-satellite missions to full constellation operations.
• Value-Added Services (VAS) Companies seek enhanced multispectral data with improved revisit frequency and spatial resolution, interoperable with Sentinel-2, to develop downstream products for agriculture, forestry, urban planning, and environmental monitoring.
• Institutional and Security-Focused Clients demand certified, secure data management solutions complying with ISO 27001 and GDPR standards for governmental and defence applications.

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Targeted customer/users’ countries

European Union member states (with emphasis on Belgium), ESA member states, and international satellite operators. Primary institutional targets include the European Commission (Copernicus Programme), ESA, and national space agencies.

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Product description

MSCM develops four core software products forming an integrated satellite operations and data management ecosystem:

• Mission Control Software (MCS): Manages satellite operations including telemetry, commanding, flight dynamics, payload operations, and downlink scheduling. Designed for constellation-scale operations with automated pass management and collision avoidance monitoring. The ground segment guarantees at least 95% availability (with a goal of 99.9%) and supports secure remote access via VPN.
• Image Processing Pipeline (IPP): Automatically processes raw satellite data into calibrated, analysis-ready products (L0 through L2A) through radiometric and geometric corrections, quality checks, and workflow automation. Products are interoperable with Sentinel-2 and support vegetation indices including NDVI, NDWI, LAI, NDRE, and SAVI.
• Tasking Tool (TT): Provides a user interface and API for requesting and scheduling satellite imagery acquisitions over specific areas of interest, optimising for mission constraints including cloud coverage and sensor parameters.
• Data Platform / User Portal: Delivers validated EO data products with a cataloguing system, accessible via an intuitive web portal and programmatic APIs. Includes Global Variables such as land cover maps, change detection masks, cloud-free mosaics, and pansharpened products. Product availability is guaranteed within 3 hours of data sensing.

The system architecture leverages cloud-native infrastructure with ISO 27001-certified security, GDPR compliance, and horizontal scalability to support growing constellation sizes. The architecture is sensor-agnostic, supporting VHR, SAR, MSI, and RF-Sensing payloads.

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Added Value

MSCM’s added value stems from Aerospacelab’s unique position as a vertically integrated space systems provider. Unlike competitors offering standalone ground segment or data processing tools, MSCM delivers a tightly integrated suite covering the entire chain from satellite commanding to end-user data delivery.

Key differentiators include: seamless interoperability with Sentinel-2 products enabling direct integration into existing user workflows; ISO 27001 and GDPR certification providing institutional-grade security; operational validation on approximately 10 in-orbit satellites including commercial missions and a modular, cloud-native architecture enabling rapid adaptation to different mission types.

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Current Status

The MSCM has successfully achieved its primary objectives, delivering a robust and validated Ground and User Segment while strengthening Aerospacelab’s technological and operational posture. The project resulted in secure, ISO 27001 and GDPR-certified systems that are already deployed internally and on commercial constellations, demonstrating operational readiness and reliability.

These achievements position Aerospacelab as a trusted provider of advanced mission management and data-processing solutions. The knowledge and infrastructure developed during MSCM ensure that Aerospacelab can rapidly capitalise on future opportunities, maintaining a competitive edge in the evolving satellite data market.

All validation activities have been completed successfully across all work packages: Ground Segment (TN-33), User Segment (TN-36), and the MSCM Concept Validation Report (TN-56). The Final Acceptance Review was held in December 2025, and the contract closure documentation has been prepared. All Ground and User Segment software components have reached TRL 9 and are in active operational use for both internal and commercial missions, including SPIP, Copernicus data provision, and Xona Pulsar IOV.