Processing data onboard can reduce the volume of information that needs to be transmitted to Earth. For climate services, the location and method of data processing can influence how efficiently information reaches downstream users.
Choosing the right infrastructure for climate data from space
As satellite missions become increasingly software-defined, decisions about where data is processed, stored and managed are becoming just as important as collecting it.
Cloud computing offers flexibility and scalability, but onboard processing and dedicated ground infrastructure can provide greater control over mission-critical systems. For climate monitoring, finding the right balance helps ensure satellite observations can be transformed into reliable, accessible environmental information.
Application: Turning satellite data into climate insight
Climate change requires consistent, high-quality observations to help scientists and organisations understand changes in our planet. Earth Observation satellites provide valuable information about forests, vegetation, oceans and land use, supporting environmental monitoring and climate resilience.
However, collecting this information is only part of the challenge. Large volumes of satellite data must be processed, transmitted and delivered efficiently to the people and services that need it.
The OS-VOLT project, led by Glasgow-based Craft Prospect with European Space Agency involvement, demonstrates how advances in satellite technology can help address this challenge. The project aims to demonstrate capabilities including hyperspectral imaging and flexible onboard processing, with potential applications in climate resilience.
Bright Ascension is contributing its HELIX® software to support the mission’s onboard and ground-based systems. The wider project includes plans to support climate and forestry monitoring through Resilience Constellation, helping demonstrate how satellite observations could inform environmental monitoring and climate mitigation.
Discover more about the OS-VOLT project.
UK expertise: Earth Observation
The UK has established expertise across Earth Observation, satellite engineering, software development and environmental data services. Bright Ascension contributes to this community through its specialist space software, supporting satellite mission development and operations.
Its software has been deployed on more than 60 satellites worldwide, including at least 25 missions focused on environmental and climate monitoring. This experience demonstrates the importance of dependable software in enabling spacecraft to operate and deliver useful data throughout their missions.
As satellite systems become more sophisticated, organisations must also consider the infrastructure supporting their operations. Cloud platforms can provide scalable computing resources for processing large datasets, collaboration and software development. Onboard processing and dedicated ground systems can offer alternatives where connectivity, security or direct operational control are priorities.
Data sovereignty is an important part of this decision. Organisations need to understand who controls their data and software, which legal jurisdictions apply, and whether dependence on external platforms could affect their long-term operational independence.
For climate services, these considerations are particularly relevant where data needs to remain accessible and dependable over extended periods. Choosing the right infrastructure is therefore not simply a question of cloud versus on-premises. It is about designing systems around the requirements of each mission, balancing efficiency with resilience, control and long-term maintainability.
Insight
“Reliable climate intelligence depends on more than the data collected by satellites.
“It also depends on the software and infrastructure that turn those observations into useful information. By bringing processing closer to the source of the data, while designing systems that remain flexible, secure and reliable, we can help make Earth Observation more effective and ensure that the information gathered in space can deliver value here on Earth.”
– Peter Mendham, Co-founder & CTO, Bright Ascension.
About Bright Ascension – Space4Climate member Bright Ascension is a UK-based space software company specialising in software products and services for satellite mission development and operations. Its HELIX software suite supports the development, integration and operation of space missions, helping organisations deliver capable and reliable satellite systems.
Learn more about Bright Ascension’s HELIX® software suite.
Read more Members’ Spotlights