Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) — ATM Services from Space
Skykraft
Skykraft’s Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) service delivers global Air Traffic Management (ATM) surveillance and communications from its proprietary low-Earth orbit satellite constellation, providing comprehensive aircraft position tracking and voice/data relay over remote and oceanic regions where ground-based radar coverage is unavailable. The SBS service captures aircraft position signals via ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) and UAT (Universal […]
Technical specifications
- Service types
- Surveillance (SBS), Voice Communications (SBS Voice), Data Communications (SBS Data)
- Protocols
- ADS-B, UAT, CPDLC, ADS-C
- Availability
- >99.9997% (dual redundancy architecture)
- Separation standards
- 5 NM in congested airspace
- Coverage
- Worldwide including oceanic and remote regions
- GNSS backup
- Multilateration for GNSS-degraded operations
- Latest deployment
- Skykraft 4 mission, August 2025
- Constellation model
- Scalable, inter-linked spacecraft working collaboratively
- Manufacturing
- UNSW Canberra facility, Reid ACT, Australia
About
Skykraft’s Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) service delivers global Air Traffic Management (ATM) surveillance and communications from its proprietary low-Earth orbit satellite constellation, providing comprehensive aircraft position tracking and voice/data relay over remote and oceanic regions where ground-based radar coverage is unavailable. The SBS service captures aircraft position signals via ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) and UAT (Universal Access Transceiver) transmissions through space, validates the data, and forwards it to Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) worldwide. SBS Voice enables VHF voice communications between aircraft and controllers via satellite relay, providing global VHF voice coverage including over open ocean flight paths where radio-of-sight limits terrestrial coverage to nil. SBS Data supports CPDLC (Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications) and ADS-C (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Contract) protocol routing via satellite. The system is designed for 5 NM separation standards in congested airspace and provides multilateration capabilities to serve as GNSS positioning backup during GPS degradation events. Skykraft’s constellation employs a dual-redundancy architecture achieving availability exceeding 99.9997%. The company was founded in 2017 as a spin-off from UNSW Canberra Space and deploys satellites from its purpose-built manufacturing facility in Reid, ACT, Australia. The most recent mission (Skykraft 4) deployed next-generation ATM satellites in August 2025.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.