Reliable, resilient digital ground station operations

A Digital Ground Station replaces fixed analog hardware with virtual SATCOM modems and cloud-based signal processing, so waveforms and capabilities change through software instead of hardware procurement. Analog ground stations require physical changes for new waveforms and can’t scale processing dynamically. Auria’s Digital Ground Station runs virtual modems on an on-premise DSP-native cloud architecture with a 100 Gbps DIFI VITA 49.2 backbone, open APIs, and integrated health monitoring — reducing O&M costs, eliminating vendor lock-in, and scaling compute to mission demand.

D-ETI (Digital Earth Terminal Interface) is the command-and-control interface for the Digital Ground Station. It gives operators one intuitive GUI to command ground-station assets, monitor system and link health, deploy parallel virtual modems, and manage alternative waveforms through AWM. Put simply, the Digital Ground Station is the software-defined SATCOM system, and D-ETI is how operators see and control it — an observable, single-pane interface where legacy ground stations left operators with blind spots.

Virtual SATCOM modems implement modem functions in software on commercial compute hardware instead of dedicated modem boxes. Fixed hardware modems cap capacity and require physical replacement for upgrades or new waveforms. The Digital Ground Station runs parallel virtual modems that scale with demand, host multiple waveforms on shared infrastructure, and update through software — enabling dynamic link utilization and flexible capacity without idle hardware or vendor dependencies.

DIFI is an open IEEE standard, based on the VITA 49.2 specification, for streaming digitized RF/IF samples and metadata over IP networks. The Digital Ground Station distributes DIFI VITA 49.2 compliant data across a fully digital 100 Gbps backbone, so systems from different vendors interoperate. Standardized data prevents vendor lock-in — operators share and process signals across systems where proprietary formats create incompatibility.

The Alternative Waveform Manager (AWM) enables flexible, waveform-agnostic deployment of Infil/Exfil waveforms for high-priority missions. AWM abstracts waveform complexity so operators deploy alternative waveforms without hardware changes. Paired with the Digital Ground Station’s parallel virtual modems, AWM lets crews switch or add waveforms and CONOPs on demand, where legacy systems require a hardware redesign for each new waveform.

Nanosecond-precision time tags let the Digital Ground Station support accurate geolocation and time-critical mission execution. Processing latency and coarse timing prevent the positioning precision sensitive operations require. Nanosecond time tags give operators the accuracy needed for geolocation and time-critical missions where traditional systems fall short.

The Digital Ground Station uses a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware baseline instead of proprietary components, which reduces operations and maintenance costs. COTS parts are available from multiple suppliers, so operators avoid sole-source vendor support and expensive custom replacements. Combined with software-defined upgrades, the COTS approach cuts O&M spend while keeping the system current.

The Digital Ground Station uses open APIs to integrate new technologies, algorithms, and CONOPs with existing SATCOM infrastructure, and VITA 49.2 DIFI for interoperability with existing satellite control systems and networks. Open architecture lets operators modernize incrementally — adding digital processing alongside existing systems — rather than replacing everything at once, which reduces deployment risk and cost.

The Digital Ground Station’s on-premise DSP-native cloud architecture keeps processing local on CPU/GPU/FPGA hardware, eliminating the network latency that cloud-only deployments introduce. Local processing enables real-time decisions and consistent performance for time-critical operations, while integrated health monitoring and automated alerting keep operations observable and reliable.

The Digital Ground Station supports the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and commercial SATCOM operators modernizing ground infrastructure. Beacon digital ground technology was selected for the DoD MUOS ground station providing primary UHF global backhaul; SOCOM and tier-one units host custom waveforms on Beacon platforms; and SpaceX uses Beacon modems for the Star Shield government constellation Link 182 waveform. Commercial operators use it to run multiple constellations (LEO, MEO, GEO) through one software-defined platform.