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HELIX and Integration | Seamless flight and ground software

HELIX and Integration: Bridging the gaps 

Integration is one of the most underestimated — and expensive — aspects of space mission software. From onboard to ground, legacy to modern systems, integration often eats up more time and budget than anticipated. 

This blog is the second in the HELIX® series, where we focus on how HELIX reduces integration complexity across spacecraft, ground systems, and end-user platforms for space-based data insights — helping your team unify workflows, avoid fragmentation, and accelerate time to orbit. 

Connecting the dots in complex space missions 

As small satellite missions continue to grow in number and complexity, mission integration has become one of the most pressing challenges for space teams. Today, constellations are replenished regularly, mission capabilities evolve, and spacecraft are sourced from multiple vendors – all of which add layers of technical and operational complexity. 

What used to be vertically integrated, in-house development is now an interconnected web of specialised suppliers, each offering cutting-edge (and often cost-saving) technologies. While this brings innovation and flexibility to satellite development, it also creates a tough question: how do you tie it all together efficiently? 

The answer lies in your software. 

In a modern satellite mission, you’re likely dealing with: 

• Multiple vendors and hardware platforms 
• Differently configured spacecraft across the fleet 
• Evolving mission goals that impact both ground and flight systems 
• Separate teams developing flight software, payload software, and operations system 

Now imagine one change – a new payload interface, a new onboard computer (OBC), or a reconfiguration of the power system. This change has to ripple across all mission software layers: onboard, on the ground, and in service delivery. Without tight integration, that ripple can quickly become a tsunami. 

Unfortunately, today’s market is still full of standalone tools and patchy integrations. They often fail to keep pace with the realities of scaling and evolving space missions, resulting in: 

• Costly custom software rewrites 
• Delays to launch and service delivery 
• Higher operational risk and inefficiency 

An alternative solution: HELIX

At Bright Ascension, we’ve seen these challenges firsthand across 50+ space missions. That’s why we’ve built HELIX – an end-to-end, modular, and integrated space software suite designed specifically to solve the problem of system-wide integration. HELIX offers flight software, operations software, and a service and data delivery platform, among other products. 

What makes HELIX different? 

Modular architecture 

With HELIX, mission software is built from reusable components, like Lego blocks, using HELIX Flightkit, our modular flight software development product. Whether you’re updating an existing spacecraft or developing something entirely new, you can: 

• Reuse library components or custom-made component from previous projects across new missions
• Mix and match functionality quickly and supplement with bespoke mission features
• Adapt to new subsystems, payloads or software upgrades without rewriting from scratch

HELIX Flightkit saves time, reduces cost, and improves reliability. 

Model-based technology

At the core of HELIX technology is a model-based framework that keeps everything in sync across space-based and ground-based software systems. 

• HELIX generates a machine-readable model of your entire space system – all the hardware, subsystems, and software components  
• Any changes added via HELIX Flightkit – new hardware, new services, new spacecraft – are automatically captured in the model 
• These updates are reflected across the entire infrastructure: flight software, mission control, and data delivery and analytics systems

This means nearly zero manual configurations and no more integration surprises. Just a consistent, up-to-date system. 

Traditional approach vs. HELIX

Imagine you’re managing a constellation for Earth observation. You’re launching new satellites with next-gen sensors, trying a new OBC, and replacing discontinued components. 

In a traditional workflow, you’d need: 

• New flight software built from scratch 
• Custom interfaces to legacy ground systems 
• Months of integration work 

With HELIX: 

• Using HELIX Flightkit, you reuse core software from previous missions 
• Flightkit allows you to quickly assemble and integrate any new components to add new functionality  
• The system automatically recognises and reflects changes across your constellation, minimising any manual integration work 

From the flight side to operations dashboards, everything stays in sync with minimal manual effort. 

HELIX Ops: Where it all comes together

But integration truly comes into view during operations. That’s where HELIX Ops, our mission control software that comes as part of the HELIX suite, plays a critical role.  

1. One cohesive system from flight to ground 

With HELIX Ops, you get an operations system that works hand-in-hand with our Flightkit and the entire HELIX suite. You’re not stitching together a collection of mismatched products — you’re working within an ecosystem that was designed to function as one.  

2. Say goodbye to packet-level headaches 

If you’ve ever struggled with raw telemetry data or clunky command interfaces, HELIX Ops is a breath of fresh air. Instead of working at the packet level, you interact with logical services that abstract away the complexity. 

3. Designed for your reality — not an ideal world 

You’re probably not starting from scratch — and that’s okay. HELIX Ops is made to work with the systems you already have so you can deploy it alongside your existing ground or flight software.  

4. Simple to learn, easy to use 

With over 15 years of real mission experience behind us, we designed HELIX Ops with usability at its core – so your team can hit the ground running — no matter whether you’re operating a single CubeSat or a large and complex constellation.  

Focus on operations — not orchestration 

With HELIX Ops, integration becomes one less thing to worry about. You get a future-ready platform that brings together your software stack and keeps everything working in sync — so you can focus on flying your mission. 

Let’s simplify your software. 
Talk to us about how HELIX Ops can streamline integration across your mission. 

Discover how HELIX Ops makes integration simpler, more reliable, and ready for what’s next in space mission operations.