A transatlantic perspective
The number of satellites and spacecraft orbiting Earth is growing at an unprecedented pace — unlocking new opportunities but also placing new demands on how we connect space and ground.
It’s about enabling systems that support life on Earth. Examples are navigation, Space Situational Awareness (SSA), IoT, secure communications, weather/climate monitoring.
The challenge ahead is not only about launching satellites; it’s about managing the flow of data across a dynamic, hybrid ecosystem in near real time. Ground stations need to support higher data throughput, more frequent communications, and network orchestration rather than just handling the occasional Earth Observation downlink.
At the Signals from Space panel during the Space Economy Summit by Economist Impact Events, Linda Lyckman, SvP and Head of US Growth at SSC explored how global communications infrastructure must evolve — and how transatlantic collaboration will shape the next generation of secure, resilient connectivity. On the panel, alongside Linda Lyckman, were Richard Lochhead, Minister for business and employment, The Scottish Government, Julie Kearney, Partner and co-chair, space exploration and innovation practice, DLA Piper.
A new era of global ground infrastructure
As satellite constellations multiply, the demands on ground systems have shifted dramatically. It’s no longer enough to simply receive data from orbit — networks must now handle high data throughput, low latency, and always-on connectivity for a growing range of applications: navigation, IoT, space situational awareness, and climate monitoring.
“SSC operates one of the world’s largest commercial ground networks — 21 sites across roughly 10 countries — trusted by NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, ESA, and many leading primes. From LEOP to lunar missions, our secure and flexible network supports the entire mission life cycle. This scale and responsiveness are vital for today’s rapidly evolving satellite ecosystem,” says Linda Lyckman, SVP and Head of US Growth at SSC.
The hybrid future of space communications
“The future of global connectivity will be hybrid,” explains Lyckman. “Low Earth orbit brings low latency, geostationary orbit ensures resilience, and terrestrial systems close the last-mile gap. The challenge is to integrate all of these along with new technologies, like optical links and in-orbit relays, into one seamless network.”
“At SSC, we’re modernizing our ground infrastructure toward a unified, cloud-enabled architecture that can support this hybrid model. It’s how we’ll make connectivity more agile, secure, and globally available, so our customers can stay focused on their missions while we deliver reliable links across orbits and continents.”
Security at the core
With increased connectivity comes increased responsibility. As the geopolitical landscape grows more complex, space has become a critical domain for security, resilience, and global communication. Governments and defense organizations are investing to secure independent access to space, recognizing that trusted connectivity is essential for both national and global stability.
Ground infrastructure plays a pivotal role in this new reality — it is the backbone that ensures the continuous, secure flow of data between satellites and Earth.
“At SSC, secure communications are central to our mission. We are investing in advanced Ka-band systems and pioneering optical (laser) communications — a transformative technology that delivers higher data rates and more secure, interference-free links. Our new optical ground stations in Western Australia and Chile are one of several steps toward a more secure, data-rich, and connected future in space,” says Lyckman.
Looking ahead
The next era of space connectivity won’t be defined by one orbit, one nation, or one network — it will be built through partnership. Collaboration will be the cornerstone of progress.
