Infostellar’s StellarStation platform accelerates CURTIS satellite mission with multiple ground stations

The “CURTIS” satellite from Panasonic Group will receive help from Infostellar, a provider of ground segment as a service (GSaaS), as we will be supplying various ground stations via Infostellar’s StellarStation platform.

For the “CURTIS” satellite mission, Infostellar supplied ground stations in Gifu, Japan, which is operated by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI); Azercosmos, which has a ground station in Azerbaijan; and South Africa and Bahrain, which are held by another partner ground station facility. These four separate ground stations’ ground station configurations were finished in a matter of months thanks to StellarStation, allowing for “CURTIS,” a quick technological demonstration.

One ground station is typically used for these kinds of technological demos. This is due to the fact that putting up a ground station is difficult and time-consuming, and using several ground stations run by several owners to demonstrate technology is inefficient. On the other hand, StellarStation makes it possible to quickly set up several ground stations and offers a global network of third-party ground stations. Furthermore, by using multiple ground stations, the technical demonstration can be implemented more quickly and effectively because it increases the possibility of communicating with satellites in the S-band, which is common for satellite operations. It also makes it possible to download large amounts of observational data over a number of separate contacts.

In April 2024, the “CURTIS” satellite was launched from the ISS for a technical demonstration. Its key missions include testing the satellite’s easy-to-assemble design, demonstrating Panasonic Group’s ground-based components for space use, and showcasing advanced circuit formation technology using a thermal management unit with graphite for better heat dissipation. These innovations are based on high-density circuit and compact design technologies from mobile terminals.