// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Ground Support
Ground support includes all the personnel, equipment, and services on Earth that assist with the preparation, launch, and recovery of rockets and spacecraft. It's the logistical and technical backbone.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Ground Support encompasses the terrestrial personnel, equipment, facilities, and services required to prepare, launch, track, and recover aerospace vehicles, including launch vehicle assembly, payload integration, and pre-flight testing.
BACKGROUND
Bigelow Aerospace was an American space design and manufacturing company which ceased operations in 2020. It was an aeronautics and outer space technology company which manufactured and developed expandable space station modules. Bigelow Aerospace was founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998, and was based in North Las Vegas, Nevada. It was funded in large part by the profit Bigelow gained through his ownership of the hotel chain Budget Suites of America.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Logistics Support
- Pre-flight Support
- Launch Support
- Mission Support
USAGE NOTE
Extensive ground support is needed to prepare a rocket for launch.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Ground Support.
As a major NASA contractor, Jacobs provides extensive ground support operations and maintenance for critical infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center, including launch pads, the Vehicle Assembly Building, and propellant systems for the Artemis program.
Operates one of the world's largest commercial ground station networks, providing satellite control, data reception, and telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) services from polar and mid-latitude locations.
Develops and operates its own vertically integrated ground support infrastructure, including launch and landing pads, rocket processing facilities, mission control centers, and a global network of satellite tracking stations for its Starlink constellation.
Builds and operates a global network of ground-based, phased-array radars to provide high-resolution tracking of satellites and orbital debris in low Earth orbit (LEO), offering crucial space situational awareness services.
Manages and operates extensive launch support infrastructure at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Vandenberg Space Force Base, including launch pads and vertical integration facilities for its Atlas and Vulcan rockets.
Manages launch campaigns and ground operations at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, the European spaceport. This includes payload processing, launch vehicle assembly, and control center operations for Ariane and Vega rockets.
A global engineering and construction company involved in building complex ground support facilities for the aerospace industry, including launch pads and the new Mobile Launcher 2 for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS).
Provides global ground station services for satellite operators through its SSC Connect network. It also operates the Esrange Space Center for suborbital rocket launches and satellite tracking.