Good Enough Isn’t an Option
Reliability and performance are mission-critical in the satellite industry. Whether operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), or Geostationary Orbit (GEO), satellite systems must function with precision. Today’s satellites demand insight far beyond traditional monitoring. Yet, the path to true observability has been bogged down by unnecessary complexity and rising costs. The challenge isn’t just understanding past anomalies—it’s about cutting through the noise in real time to ensure operational continuity.
Satellite observability isn’t a buzzword—it’s a tactical edge. It provides deep insight into the behavior of spacecraft, catching problems before they escalate into mission failures. This approach transforms satellite operations from ‘good enough’ to exceptional.
This guide outlines the fundamentals of satellite observability: its core components, its advantages, and the challenges to be aware of when scaling up. Whether maintaining a satellite constellation, optimizing downlink performance, or ensuring precise orbital adjustments, observability is key to mission success.
Monitoring is Dead
Monitoring is reactive. It only reveals what’s been pre-programmed to track, missing the bigger picture. For simple systems, it suffices. For complex, interconnected satellite networks, it falls short.
- Monitoring: Like a check engine light, it signals an issue but provides no details. It can track known metrics, but it leaves engineers blind to root causes. Troubleshooting becomes a guessing game.
- Observability: Dynamic and proactive, observability pulls in all system-generated data—telemetry, logs, traces—allowing new questions to be asked in real time. It catches problems before they escalate.
Monitoring tells you what went wrong after the fact. Observability shows you why it happened and how to prevent it in the future. For satellite constellations managing inter-satellite links, propulsion systems, and payload operations, this shift isn’t optional—it’s the difference between reactive mitigation and proactive mission assurance.
Observability allows immediate diagnosis and resolution of problems, bypassing the need for endless dashboard reviews.
Cracking Open the Black Box
Satellite observability is about analyzing a system’s outputs—telemetry, command logs, and real-time data—to understand its behavior. Collecting data is not enough. Without actionable insights, it’s impossible to surface unknowns or prevent issues from escalating. Observability allows immediate diagnosis and resolution of problems, bypassing the need for endless dashboard reviews.
The Building Blocks of Observability
At the heart of satellite observability are three core pillars: telemetry data, metrics, and traces. Each plays a critical role in providing visibility needed to monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize space systems—but with them comes complexity.
- Telemetry Data: Raw data from satellite subsystems—attitude control, power systems, thermal sensors, and payload instruments. As data scales, without the right tools, the noise can be overwhelming.
- Metrics: Numerical representations of system performance over time, such as battery health, signal strength, or orbital drift. Managing these high-dimensional data streams can lead to cardinality explosion, making analysis increasingly difficult.
- Traces: Traces map the path of signals or commands through a spacecraft’s systems. They are vital for understanding how control instructions propagate, especially in distributed satellite networks.
Traditional monitoring systems, designed for IT and software, fail in defense environments.
Observability: A Game-Changer for Satellites
Observability isn’t just a rebranded version of monitoring. Traditional monitoring systems, designed for IT and software, fail in the satellite industry. Observability offers proactive insights, revealing the unexpected, not just the obvious. In satellite operations, failure can mean loss of mission-critical data—or even complete spacecraft failure. Observability ensures early detection and smooth, uninterrupted operations.
Unlocking the True Potential of Satellite Fleets
Observability, when managed properly, transforms operations:
- Precise Anomaly Detection: Rules-based anomaly detection ensures that operational irregularities—like unexpected thermal fluctuations or communication dropouts—are identified and addressed before they escalate.
- Enhanced Root Cause Analysis: Observability removes guesswork from troubleshooting, pinpointing root causes with precision, dramatically reducing mean time to resolution (MTTR).
- Data-Driven Collaboration: With unified data sharing across mission control, engineering teams, and leadership, observability eliminates silos and enables faster, more informed decisions.
- Streamlined Reporting & Certification: Observability ensures compliance with regulatory and safety requirements through automated reporting. Engineers can generate mission reports with a click, saving time and maintaining reliability without manual overhead.
Challenges
Modern satellite fleets introduce significant observability challenges. Without addressing these head-on, the true potential of observability will never be realized:
- Data Volume and Complexity: The scale of telemetry data can quickly become overwhelming. Without high-performance storage and smart aggregation tools like Sift DB, operators risk drowning in noise instead of actionable insights.
- Integration with Existing Systems: Adding new observability tools to existing ground station infrastructure can be a challenge. Seamless integration through flexible APIs is crucial to avoiding data silos.
- Skill and Knowledge Gaps: Not every mission control team has the specialized skills to fully utilize observability. Training and upskilling are non-negotiable to extract the full value from observability investments.
- Balancing Real-time Insights with Cost: Relying on fragmented tools might seem like a cost-saving measure, but inefficiencies and rising storage costs can quickly erode those savings. Integrated platforms like Sift deliver real-time insights without the long-term financial drain.
- Human Factors and Cognitive Load: Engineers aren’t machines. When overloaded with data, critical signals can be missed. Observability systems should reduce cognitive load by surfacing only the most relevant insights.
- Long-term Scalability and Flexibility: What works today may not work tomorrow. Observability strategies must evolve to support larger satellite networks, new communication protocols, and AI-driven automation.
For more insights on challenges, view the 2024Aerospace Observability Report
Real-World Example: The Helium Incident
A team we worked with was able to keep their spacecraft schedule on track despite a major anomaly by utilizing their observability system. During standard fueling operations, their system detected a flight computer malfunction. Upon further investigation, they realized helium molecules leaking from the tanks slipped their way into the clock of the flight computer, causing the quartz crystals to oscillate irregularly—a scenario no one had anticipated.
Traditional monitoring systems, relying on predefined dashboards, would have missed this critical interaction. You will only be monitoring it if you know what to look for. However, the observability platform surfaced this unexpected behavior, allowing engineers to trace the anomaly to its source and resolve it before it could jeopardize the mission.
This incident underscores the vital role of observability in modern hardware development. In industries where the stakes are high, observability platforms like Sift are not just useful—they’re essential.
Take Control of Your Satellite Operations
If you’re ready to move beyond traditional monitoring and take control of your satellite data, Sift is here to help. Our platform gives you the tools to surface hidden issues in real time, enabling smarter data analysis and proactive troubleshooting. It’s time to stop flying blind and embrace a more powerful, insightful way to manage modern satellite fleets.
