Ground Control to Major Terminal: SITA’s Satellites Power Up Airports Globally

Image Source: The Economic Times

SITA, a major IT solutions company serving the aviation industry, today launched its innovative satellite connectivity service, SITA Managed Satellites, now available in more than 130 countries, including India. This new offering is intended to keep airports and airlines up and running even in case of power loss, natural disasters, or in areas where there is limited digital infrastructure. The announcement on May 28, 2025, is a big move towards enhancing the resilience of international aviation networks.

Introduction of SITA Managed Satellites

SITA Managed Satellites offers high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity through low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, designed exclusively for the air transport sector.
The service is present in more than 130 nations, across major hubs, regional airports, and remote locations—such as India.

Maintaining Seamless Operations

The solution offers primary, secondary, and emergency connectivity solutions, keeping airport systems up during blackouts, fiber cuts, natural disasters, or infrastructure collapse.
It is especially useful for keeping operations going during events that interrupt conventional terrestrial or fiber networks, including earthquakes, extreme weather, or congestion within networks.

Flexible and Fast Deployment

SITA Managed Satellites can quickly be deployed to various locations, including off-airport locations, aircraft maintenance hangars, cargo terminals, and newly established or seasonal routes.
The service accommodates temporary configurations for various events, emergency deployments, or fresh setup of routes so that ground staff and equipment are never severed.

Expanded Security and Compliance

Enhanced satellite connectivity service has strong cybersecurity to protect against data tampering and unauthorized access, conforming to aviation regulations.
Full lifecycle management, proactive monitoring, and technical support at site-level are part of the package, guaranteeing uptime and swift issue resolution.

Industry Impact and Vision

SITA's innovation counteracts the growing susceptibility of legacy networks and offers a robust, cost-saving solution to enhance airport operations and passenger experience.
The service is flexible for use across wider transport and logistics industries, facilitating hybrid computing environments and accelerating digital transformation in aviation.

Official Statement

"Airports, in fact, require new means to be able to sustain essential operations in whatever situation they encounter—even in the face of negative incidents. SITA Managed Satellites is the cutting-edge solution to keep every segment of the aviation community linked to essential platforms—even during the toughest of times," explained Martin Smillie, Senior Vice President, Communications and Data Exchange at SITA.

Relevant Sources: The Hindu Business Line, AviTrader, Free Press Journal, Travel and Tour World, Economic Times Travel, SITA Press Release

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