In the space industry, data never sleeps. Every satellite pass generates streams of information that must be processed, monitored, and delivered to customers around the world. Making that happen requires robust infrastructure and smart engineering behind the scenes.
At SSC Space, Nicolas Reiche is part of the team making it possible. As a Software Engineer in our Ground Station Services, he works at the intersection of data engineering, observability, and large-scale service delivery.
“Sometimes I jokingly call myself a ‘data plumber’,” he says. “Our job is to make sure the data flows where it should, when it should, and that we know exactly how our systems are performing along the way.”
His team builds and maintains the systems responsible for transferring satellite data to customers quickly and securely, while also developing the analytics and monitoring platforms that give SSC Space insight into how its global services perform.
By collecting metadata across the entire infrastructure, the team builds dashboards, KPIs, and monitoring systems that track everything from antenna performance to service quality.
“It’s all about observability,” Nicolas explains. “We instrument our services so we can understand how they behave in real time. That helps us ensure reliability, improve performance, and detect issues early.”
For engineers, the opportunity goes far beyond maintaining existing systems. SSC Space is currently undergoing a broader modernization journey, giving developers the chance to rethink how systems are designed and built.
“One of the things that make this place exciting is that you can actually build things from scratch,” he says. “There’s a lot of room to improve systems, introduce new technologies, and shape how we work going forward.”
Nicolas joined SSC Space two and a half years ago after hearing about the company from a friend who completed a thesis project there. With a background in physics and a growing interest in data systems, the combination of space and software felt like the perfect match.
“What motivates me is solving complex problems,” he says. “The systems we work with are large, interconnected, and constantly evolving.”
But technology is only part of the story.
“What really stands out here is the culture,” he says. “People are incredibly knowledgeable, but also humble and generous with their knowledge. If you’re curious and want to learn, you’ll find plenty of opportunities.”
For Nicolas, working in the space sector also adds a sense of purpose.
“We’re contributing to European space initiatives and to services that benefit society. It’s exciting to know that the work we do here is part of something bigger.”
Looking ahead, his advice to his future self is simple: “Keep learning, keep experimenting, and keep having fun.”
Because engineers who enjoy building systems, solving complex problems, and shaping the future of space infrastructure, SSC Space offers something rare: The chance to help build the systems behind the next generation of space services.
