Eutelsat and Skynopy Partner to Develop Global AKAR, One of the Largest Software-defined Global Ground Networks for Satellite Services
(L-R) Pierre Bertrand, CEO and co-founder, Skynopy and Jean-François Fallacher, Chief Executive Officer, Eutelsat
At the International Space Summit hosted by the President of the French Republic, Eutelsat and Skynopy announced the signature of a partnership establishing Global AKAR, a strategic partnership to develop one of the largest software-defined ground infrastructures for current and future satellite services, including Earth Observation, In-orbit services, orbital data centers and various telecommunication services.
Bringing together Eutelsat's global footprint and Skynopy's software technologies and commercial traction, the partnership aims to build on existing infrastructure to create a resilient, scalable and software-defined network capable of delivering near-real-time connectivity for Low Earth Orbit services. Skynopy has developed unique proprietary orchestration software and virtualized modem technology that can leverage existing ground antennas and give satellite operators a single interface to access them. Since their creation that have been operating 17 sites to serve several dozens of satellites. This partnership brings the service to a larger scale: it will enable selected Eutelsat ground station sites to serve a broader range of satellite operators and applications, while continuing to support Eutelsat’s own networks and customers.
Global AKAR‘s ambition is to leverage Eutelsat’s global network of ground stations to create a data backbone for multi mission constellations (Earth Observation, Orbital data centers, in orbit services) in S, X and Ka-bands. The partnership is set to deploy more than 100 operational antennas at select sites by the end of 2029, enabling a near-real-time service at a very high-throughput for the fast-growing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) services market. The service is designed to significantly reduce data latency (less than 3 min compared to the current state of the art around 1 hour) while delivering up to 10 Gbps throughput through a software-defined ground network (compared to the current state of the art of 1-2 Gbps).
The program builds on the initial phase, already under way and partially supported by the French Government, which successfully demonstrated the technical feasibility of the concept through a three-antenna proof of concept for Earth Observation. The same infrastructure is designed to support a new generation of in-orbit services, enabling satellites to transfer data more efficiently and interact with in-orbit computing capabilities through secure, high-capacity, high-throughput connectivity.
Eutelsat brings sites from its globally distributed network of ground stations, nearly five decades of satellite operations expertise, and trusted relationships with institutional and commercial customers worldwide. Skynopy brings a new approach to the ground segment, combining cloud-native technologies, expertise in Earth Observation radiofrequency systems, and strong commercial traction, demonstrated over the past year by delivering demanding ground station service to players like Airbus Defence and Space and many international NewSpace satellite operators. Together, they combine global operational scale with software innovation to accelerate the deployment of strategic gateway infrastructure to serve the booming Low Earth Orbit economy. Global AKAR customers will benefit from access to a secure, high-capacity and globally distributed network without having to build and operate their own ground systems.
The Global AKAR service is designed to support commercial constellations by reducing data latency and increasing network flexibility, while its secure architecture and interfaces will also make it suitable for defense and other sensitive applications. The ground segment, long the forgotten pillar of space, is now becoming its central piece — and AKAR, "root" in Malay, is the response to that ambition.
“Global AKAR is the alliance of a European champion, Eutelsat, and one of France's most promising start-ups, Skynopy, working hand in hand to offer the best service on the missing element of the space economy: the ground segment. This endeavor embodies the ambition of France 2030: to make our technological excellence and the worldwide reach of our territories a foundation the whole space sector can build on.”— Emmanuel Macron, The President of the French Republic
“Satellite operators keep telling us the same thing: they need their data on the ground faster, everywhere, and without building the infrastructure themselves. With Global AKAR, Eutelsat and Skynopy turn the world’s most extensive gateway network into an on-demand service that delivers exactly that — near-real-time data and global coverage through a single integration, for the fastest-growing constellations in Earth Observation and, increasingly, across the whole Low Earth Orbit economy. That is how we intend to become the reference ground layer of the market.”— Pierre Bertrand, CEO and co-founder, Skynopy
“Eutelsat’s global ground station network is a significant asset supporting our satellite operations and customers worldwide. Global AKAR will extend the value of that infrastructure, opening it to new customers and applications while continuing to support our own requirements. By combining Eutelsat’s global footprint and operational expertise with Skynopy’s technology, we are creating a new commercial offering to meet growing demand across the LEO market.”— Jean-François Fallacher, Chief Executive Officer, Eutelsat