York Space Systems and ATLAS Space Operations Activate New Ground Station Antenna in Rwanda
York Space Systems, a US-based national defence and commercial prime providing mission-enabling solutions, and ATLAS Space Operations, a provider of Ground Software as a Service, announced that a new antenna at Rwanda’s teleport in Mwulire entered service on September 18, 2026. The antenna doubles the number of satellite contacts the site can support simultaneously and further expands equatorial coverage across the ATLAS federated global antenna network.
The new antenna is a 3.7-metre receive-only parabolic reflector mounted on a dual-axis AZ/EL pedestal. It receives S-band downlinks from 2,200 to 2,300 MHz in both left- and right-hand circular polarization. Its feed hardware is also S/X-capable, allowing X-band reception to be added later without replacing the antenna. The system is the first S/X antenna from M2 Antenna Systems, Inc. to enter service on the ATLAS network.
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The new antenna adds a second operational antenna at ATLAS’s Rwanda teleport, increasing the site’s capacity to support simultaneous satellite contacts and strengthening its role in the ATLAS global ground network. The new antenna adds a second operational antenna at ATLAS’s Rwanda teleport, following the first antenna’s entry into service in July 2025. The latest addition was designed in early 2026, shipped in May, installed in August, and entered service on September 18, 2026, expanding the site’s capacity to support simultaneous satellite contacts.
Rwanda’s Equatorial Location Expands Satellite Coverage
Mwulire is located about two degrees south of the equator at an altitude of 1,668 metres. This position provides the antenna with visibility of low-inclination satellites that ground stations at higher latitudes may not be able to see. The location also creates more opportunities for contact with missions in mid-inclination orbits. With two antennas now operational, ATLAS can manage two simultaneous contacts from Rwanda, increasing network capacity for existing missions and new clients requiring coverage near the equator.
“What customers count on is reliable contacts, and this second antenna in Mwulire gives them more of that. Going from one antenna to two in just over a year says a great deal about the strength of our partnership with the Government of Rwanda, through Rwanda Space Agency (RSA), and about the demand we are seeing for equatorial coverage,” said Kristin Rice, Chief Executive Officer at ATLAS Space Operations.
ATLAS took the antenna from completed design in early 2026 to shipment in May, installation in August, and entry into service in September. During commissioning, the antenna completed more than 350 scheduled test contacts, achieving a 100% completion rate with no recorded error seconds.
“The addition of this second antenna at our Mwulire teleport strengthens Rwanda’s ground infrastructure and expands the capacity available to support space missions from Africa. Rwanda’s teleport is open for business and ready to support a growing range of space activities, from antenna hosting to mission control services, and more,” said Gaspard Twagirayezu, Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Space Agency.