The Kinuvik Concept
Combined use of dual polar stations
“Kinuvik” is the name describing the combined use of SSC Space’s dual polar stations in Kiruna at Esrange Space Center and Inuvik. Operated and bundled as one site, the Kinuvik concept provides the best arctic coverage available for LEO satellites by offering contact opportunity on every orbit.
Launched in 2010, the Kinuvik concept was developed to optimize SSC Space’s ground station coverage on every orbit for sun synchronous (SSO) LEO satellite missions, as well as to increase redundancy and capacity by leveraging on its existing capabilities at Kiruna and Inuvik stations.
Benefits
The unique features of the Kinuvik concept enable unmatched satellite commanding, payload tasking and significant data download opportunity on every orbit for LEO polar satellites, regardless of the orbit altitude. The easy-to-implement and effective concept provides optimal polar coverage to the increasing needs of satellite operators’ missions. The unified combination of those two stations also provides the availability and scalability needed. The Kinuvik concept is a result of a long and fruitful history between Sweden and Canada.
Kinuvik provides remarkable advantages thanks to its geographical diversity:
- Optimal Arctic coverage for regular large data volume
- Longer contact time on each orbit
- Reduced risk of radio frequency interference
- Increased availability and redundancy
- Scalability of mission needs and volume maximization with highly available KA-band ground station services
- Reduced latency
- Cost efficient