Satellite Tracking & SSA
Your tracking telescope.
Our Atlantic infrastructure.
Dark Sky Hosting provides the physical conditions, power stability, connectivity and remote-control infrastructure that optical SSA and satellite tracking operators need — at a location that fills a critical gap in the global sensor network.
"We don't track satellites. We host the telescopes that do."
The Atlantic Gap
Optical SSA coverage in the mid-Atlantic sector — between the US East Coast sensor network and European continental sites — is sparse. La Palma sits at 28°N, 17°W: an uncontested strategic position for tracking objects in LEO, MEO and GEO as they transit the Atlantic arc.
An operator with a telescope hosted here gains coverage hours that no European mainland site can replicate.
- LEO transits: 4–6 visible passes per night per object
- GEO belt coverage: continuous for objects at 17°W ± 30°
- MEO follow-up: GNSS constellation monitoring from unique longitude
- Optical comms: unobstructed Atlantic horizon, minimal atmospheric turbulence
Site Advantages
Built for precision tracking
Strategic latitude & longitude
At 28°N and 17°W, your telescope has unobstructed horizons and covers orbital planes that no European mainland site can reach as efficiently. Low atmospheric column for high-elevation passes.
Power continuity
LiFePO4 60 kW battery storage with grid connection via hybrid solar inverters. The inverters inject current from both grid and batteries simultaneously — 0 ms transition, continuous voltage-regulated power. Critical for unattended autonomous operations.
Low-latency connectivity
Radiolink connection: 1G+1G radiolink + 2× Starlink + 2× LTE 4G+/5G. All bandwidth is pooled and usable — the system auto-balances across all carriers continuously. Sufficient bandwidth for real-time TDM/OEM streaming and remote desktop sessions simultaneously.
Atmospheric stability
Site sits above the marine inversion layer at 1,360 m. Median seeing around 1 arcsecond. Median humidity 28% at night. Critical for astrometric accuracy and photometric consistency.
EU jurisdiction
Spanish territory, EU regulations. No export-control complications for European operators. GDPR-compliant data handling. Relevant for government and agency contracts requiring EU data sovereignty.
Legally protected dark sky
Canary Islands Sky Law (Law 31/1988) caps light pollution and radio interference by statute. The darkest legally protected sky in Europe — Bortle 1–2, guaranteed by law, not just geography.
Engineered pier foundations
Reinforced concrete piers isolated from the main structure to eliminate vibration coupling. Designed for instruments up to 24" (and beyond on custom structures). Static and dynamic load ratings on request.
Full remote autonomy
Motorised roof with API control, automated weather interlocks, all-sky camera, rain sensor, wind meter. Your system can operate fully unattended — open, track, collect, close — without human intervention.
311+ clear nights / year
Canary Islands climatology provides one of Europe's highest clear-night rates. Your data collection calendar will be fuller than any comparable site in continental Europe or the UK.
Technical Specifications
What your system connects to
Compatibility
Bring your software stack
Our infrastructure provides power, connectivity and remote roof control. Your telescope, mount and software run exactly as they would at home — remotely, autonomously.
Tested and compatible
Mount control via INDI/ASCOM over VPN — same experience as local network.
Ideal Clients
Who hosts tracking telescopes here
Commercial SSA operators
Companies providing conjunction assessment, custody services or photometric characterisation that need Atlantic coverage to complete their sensor network.
Government & agency users
National space agencies, defence contractors or EU SST contributing sensors requiring EU jurisdiction, data sovereignty and a legally protected dark sky.
Research institutions
Universities and institutes needing a remote node for photometric, astrometric or spectroscopic campaigns — without maintaining on-site staff.
Optical comms developers
Teams testing or deploying ground-segment terminals for optical inter-satellite links or LEO downlinks requiring a stable mid-Atlantic ground station.
Get started
Discuss your tracking setup with us
Tell us about your mount, aperture and operational requirements. We'll assess pier compatibility, power and connectivity needs — and prepare a tailored hosting proposal.
Talk to our team →NDA available before technical discussion · EU jurisdiction