Kratos’ OpenSpace® Satellite Ground Platform Achieves MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet Certification
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in Defense, National Security and Global Markets, announced today that its OpenSpace® Platform is the first commercially available, fully virtualized satellite ground system to achieve MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet certification. The OpenSpace Platform enables satellite operators to deliver and manage their services for applications including communications, MilSatcom, earth observation, remote sensing and more. Entirely software-defined and using the same industry standards adopted by global terrestrial and mobile network carriers, such as MEF’s Carrier Ethernet (CE) standard, OpenSpace makes satellite service networks interoperate seamlessly with terrestrial and cellular transport networks.
The convergence of satellite and telecom networks is predicted to lead to revenue gains of $35 billion by 2035 according to the GSMA, a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem. Standards such as Carrier Ethernet play a critical role in this convergence by enabling satellite and telecommunications to integrate more easily. This convergence will benefit both industries: enabling terrestrial network providers to reach remote users who are inaccessible through fiber or cellular technologies while expanding the addressable market for satellite communications.
“Global communications carriers have traditionally viewed satellite as the ‘transport of last resort,’” according to Greg Quiggle, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Kratos. “The MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet certification validates that the OpenSpace Platform meets the highest telecom and cloud industry interconnectivity standards. With OpenSpace, satellite operators can mainstream their services for dynamic, performance-enhanced, orchestrated delivery through global telecom networks.”
MEF is a global industry association of network, cloud, security, and technology providers accelerating enterprise digital transformation. MEF 3.0 certifications offer a method for industry organizations to confirm compliance with industry-led MEF 3.0 standards for services, and the technology used to enable those services. OpenSpace is the first commercially available satellite communications ground system to be certified MEF 3.0 CE compliant.
Intelsat, one of the world’s largest commercial satellite operators, will employ the OpenSpace Platform as part of the advanced network being built to deliver services over their new family of software-defined satellites. According to Carmel Ortiz, Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Intelsat, “Intelsat was the first GEO satellite operator to achieve MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet certification for our services, so we are very pleased to see OpenSpace meet the same standard, supporting our efforts toward end-to-end network interoperability. It also represents an important milestone for OpenSpace, demonstrating the ability to support interoperable service offerings in mobility and the eventual migration to 5G services.”
To receive MEF’s CE 3.0 certification for the OpenSpace Platform, Kratos passed a comprehensive set of test cases that ensure interoperability in a multi-vendor global network environment. The certification validates that the Platform supports the delivery of a broad range of MEF 3.0 portfolio of services including E-Line (point-to-point) and E-Tree (multipoint service) and operator services including Access E-Line (point-to-point).
According to Kevin Vachon, Chief Operating Officer, MEF, “Companies like Kratos understand the value that certification provides—simplified, pre-validated functionality for buyers and simplified, frictionless implementation and partnering. Achieving MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet certification is a step towards enabling the more seamless delivery of satellite services across global provider networks. Telecommunications operations require the service automation, scalability and end-to-end QoS and SLA visibility that Carrier Ethernet brings to network operations. We are delighted to see Kratos achieve MEF 3.0 certification.”