Eutelsat and Skynopy launch Global AKAR ground network
Eutelsat · Skynopy
Eutelsat and Skynopy signed a partnership to open Eutelsat's ground stations to Earth observation and orbital data center customers.
what happened
Eutelsat and French ground-segment startup Skynopy signed a strategic partnership on Sept. 9 at the International Space Summit in Paris to build Global AKAR, a software-defined ground network across Eutelsat's teleport sites spanning S-, X- and Ka-band, per SatNews and Payload. The network is meant to open Eutelsat's ground infrastructure to third-party constellation operators in Earth observation, in-orbit servicing, orbital data centers and telecommunications, with initial integration starting in late 2026 and more than 100 software-defined antennas deployed across Eutelsat's teleports by the end of 2029.
why it matters
Smaller EO, in-orbit-servicing and orbital-data-center operators can buy downlink capacity through Eutelsat's existing global teleport footprint instead of building their own ground stations, giving Skynopy's software a shot at becoming a shared ground-segment layer across several new-space verticals at once.
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Eutelsat, Skynopy
- Category
- partnership
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-09-09
- Published
- 2026-09-11 12:04 UTC