Frequent asked questions

Here you can find the most frequent asked questions about ground station services.

We’ve compiled answers to our clients’ most frequently asked questions. If you have others, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

frequently asked questions

Is it possible to perform operate on S and X band at the same time with one ground station?

Yes, this is the case for all our dual-band ground stations. We are also able to perform in S and Ka band.

Do you support Adaptive Coding & Modulation (ACM)

All our X and Ka band ground stations support ACM.

How do we reserve passes on your network?

We automatically orchestrate the operations on our network by taking as inputs your mission requirements, This way we are able to guarantee the delivery of the capacity you need every day. It is also possible to book additional contacts over the spare capacity of the network.

What does the onboarding process look like?

We provide you a clear process and all the necessary documentation to integrate with our API and data exchange interfaces, in the meantime we will perform RF compatibility testing, usually using IQ recordings of the signal that you should provide us. We will also take care of getting the necessary licenses to support your mission with the right amount of sites.

What is the pass latency that can be achieved by your network?

That will depend on many factors but for an SSO mission at 55km the average time between two consecutive contact can be up to 28 minutes in average and by the start of 2025 it will be up to 17 minutes. For mid-inclinations the average time between two contacts is of 22 minutes and will go down to 15 minutes at the start of 2025. Keep in mind that our network is constantly expanding and all these value around bound to evolve and improve in time.

What protocols/communication schemes do you support?

We have already integrated the protocols and the radios from of the main manufacturers of the new space industry to provide the widest compatibility in the market. Standard solutions like CCSDS, DVB-S2 are, of course, supported. If needed, we have the capability to ensure compatibility with new protocol and radios within our own SDR (Software Defined Radio) suite.

Is there a priority scheme for different customers?

No, all the customers have the same priority level over the Leaf Line network.

What kind of support does Leaf Space provide during LEOPs?

Leaf Space guarantee 48h of continuous on-deck support starting from the deployment of the customer spacecraft from the launcher. Indeed, the Support Team will be available for all the 48h through the dedicated Support Platform.

What kind of support does Leaf Space provide during nominal operations?

Leaf Space guarantee 12h of continuous on-call support every day of the year, from 6:00 UTC until 18:00 UTC (or from 7:00 UTC until 19:00 UTC according to the different periods of the solar year). The Support Team is available through the dedicated Support Platform.

On which basis is Leaf Space allocating to customers the different GSs of the network?

Since Leaf Space is taking care of the costs and the bureaucracy part of the GS licesing, it also reserve the rights to suggest to the customers the ideal GSs allocation considering the capacity (minutes per day) requested by the customers, the orbital parameters and the overall allocation of the Leaf Line network.

Is there any documentation available for the customers?

Yes, you can find more information in the reserved area or, once you receive access to Leaf Space’s support platform, there is an entire section dedicated to user’s documentation.

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