Northwood Space has emerged as a significant player in the realm of satellite communications, led by former Disney star and musician Bridgit Mendler. The company recently achieved a vital milestone by successfully connecting to Planet Labs’ imagery satellites, thus marking a pivotal point in their development journey. With its headquarters in El Segundo, California, Northwood is dedicated to innovating the traditional groundwork of space connectivity, specifically focusing on ground stations, which have often been overlooked in discussions about satellite networks.
Central to Northwood’s mission is its advanced solution known as Portal, which employs sophisticated phased array technology. This innovative approach is set to revolutionize how ground stations operate. Traditional parabolic dish antennas have significant limitations, typically connecting with only one to three satellites at a time. In stark contrast, Northwood’s Portal aims to offer connectivity with up to ten satellites simultaneously, enhancing throughput and efficiency. “We are striving to establish a new connectivity standard in the satellite communication ecosystem,” Mendler declared.
The firm is venturing into the emerging Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS) market, where an increasing number of businesses aim to optimize the Earth-based segments of satellite operations. The growing interest in GSaaS has sparked competition, with notable players like Amazon launching their AWS Ground Station service, while satellite giant Eutelsat has signaled intentions for significant investment in this sector. Northwood’s ambition, however, is to disrupt the conventional methods that it perceives as outdated and inefficient, targeting a marked improvement in both cost and performance.
Mendler has adeptly drawn parallels between the satellite communication landscape and the earlier development stages of the cellular industry, where centralized infrastructures evolved. She envisions that a shared model—much like cellular towers sharing resources—could yield increased efficiencies within satellite communications. The need for modernized ground stations is particularly pressing as the industry experiences exponential growth in satellite deployments.
Mendler characterizes ground stations as “the third leg of the stool”—a crucial component alongside rockets and satellites. The demand for robust and efficient ground infrastructure is soaring, as contemporary satellite technologies become essential for various applications, from environmental monitoring to global internet connectivity.
A notable moment for Northwood was their recent field test in the remote locale of Maddock, North Dakota, where their prototype antenna, affectionately named “Frankie,” was put through its paces. This telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) test successfully established bi-directional communications with one of Planet’s satellites, indicating that operations could be performed seamlessly as if conducted on the satellite’s own system.
The achievement is a testament to the Northwood team’s expertise and ambition, culminating in a rapid design and deployment process. The antenna was built and operational in just four months, with the deployment taking a mere six hours from being unloaded to engaging with the satellite. “This experience pushes the boundaries of what is possible with ground station technology,” Mendler expressed, underlining the swift development cycle that the company has embraced.
Looking forward, Northwood is planning to deploy its Portal systems strategically across various regions including the U.S., Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Each Portal will leverage its dual antenna design—a large S-band frequency antenna and a compact X-band antenna—to enable up to ten simultaneous satellite connections, aiming for data transfer rates exceeding 1 gigabit per second per beam. Such performance capabilities position Northwood to redefine standards in satellite communications, pushing the envelope of what’s feasible.
As the company continues to innovate and expand, Mendler remains optimistic about its role in shaping the future of satellite technology. “We have unlocked immense potential with this breakthrough,” she reflected, indicating that this is merely the beginning of a transformational journey for Northwood Space.
Northwood Space stands at the frontier of satellite ground station technology, tackling long-standing issues with innovative solutions. Under Bridgit Mendler’s leadership, the startup not only aims to modernize ground station operations but also positions itself to play a pivotal role in the rapidly evolving satellite communication landscape. As the company prepares for further deployments, industry observers will be watching closely to see how Northwood navigates this dynamic market and accelerates progress in space connectivity.