Expanding Ground Station Access for Small Satellite Operators
Cloud Platform Acquisition Aims to Build Global Space Communications Infrastructure
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has acquired all outstanding shares of Tokyo-based Infostellar Inc., moving to expand ground station services available to commercial and government satellite operators as demand for small satellite constellations continues to grow. The transaction, completed July 1, makes Infostellar a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric and links the Japanese conglomerate’s long-established satellite and ground systems business with Infostellar’s cloud-based Ground Segment as a Service platform, StellarStation.
“Integrating our technological capabilities will enable us to accelerate the development of large-scale ground station networks and establish them as an integral part of space infrastructure.”
Naomi Kurahara, Infostellar
Mitsubishi Electric said it plans to use the combination to accelerate deployment of a global, virtualized ground station network and reduce up-front capital requirements for constellation operators seeking more frequent contact with spacecraft in low Earth orbit. The company has supplied satellites and ground infrastructure in Japan and overseas for decades, including antennas, tracking and control systems, and optical and radio telescopes. Infostellar operates StellarStation as a centralized service that connects orbiting satellites to a shared network of independently operated ground stations.
By networking those facilities through the cloud, Infostellar offers satellite operators additional contact windows and flexible access to communications infrastructure without building and maintaining dedicated ground stations. In a joint announcement, the companies said the acquisition is intended to support “high-quality, reliable space communications infrastructure” and new commercial models for space-based services.
“As the use of outer space diversifies and global demand for satellite-based services increases, Infostellar’s innovative business model for cloud-based ground station services will enable the Mitsubishi Electric Group to strengthen its defense and space systems business,” said Masahiko Arai, executive officer and group president for Defense & Space Systems at Mitsubishi Electric. Arai said the combination of Infostellar’s agile software development and global partner network with Mitsubishi Electric’s manufacturing and system integration capabilities for satellites and ground facilities is expected to lower operational burdens for customers and support the “sustainable growth of the space industry.”
Infostellar founder and chief executive Naomi Kurahara said the company’s mission is to “connect Earth and Space to empower the future” by providing flexible and scalable communications infrastructure for satellite operators worldwide. “We are delighted to take this new step forward by joining the Mitsubishi Electric Group, which has a long history and solid technological capabilities in the space industry,” Kurahara said. “Integrating our technological capabilities will enable us to accelerate the development of large-scale ground station networks and establish them as an integral part of space infrastructure, contributing to the further development of the space industry.”
The two companies said they aim to develop timely space communications infrastructure tailored to the diverse needs of operators of small satellite constellations, as well as reduce those operators’ initial investment and operational burdens. Leveraging their combined infrastructure, Mitsubishi Electric and Infostellar said they hope to create new business models in the space industry and contribute to the sustainable growth of space-based activities.
Infostellar, established in 2016, employs 21 people as of July 2026 and focuses on ground segment support, including satellite antenna hosting, dedicated antenna services, and regulatory work such as radio license acquisition and frequency coordination. StellarStation, a trademarked platform, virtualizes participating ground stations, allowing operators of small satellite constellations to manage access through the cloud.
By virtually networking ground stations around the world, StellarStation provides satellite operators with diverse satellite contact opportunities through a centralized service. The companies said that tailored infrastructure could help reduce initial investment costs and operational burdens for operators building coordinated networks of smaller spacecraft in low Earth orbit, defined in the announcement as approximately 125 to 1,240 miles above Earth.
Mitsubishi Electric has extensive expertise in satellites and ground facilities, having participated in related projects in Japan and overseas. For ground facilities, the company has developed advanced antenna and satellite control technologies through development and manufacture of ground stations for communication, satellite tracking and control, and optical and radio telescopes for astronomical observation.