The RADARSAT-2 ground segment has been designed based on the need to support the advanced capabilities of the RADARSAT-2 spacecraft, the need to support a commercial mission with increased data and order volumes, and the body of experience and lessons learned from the operation of the RADARSAT-1 mission. The design was produced in consultation with the key organizations and agencies that will be critical to the success of the mission. The ground segment is responsible for operating the spacecraft, accepting and implementing orders, planning and tasking for image acquisition, product processing and distribution, and image quality control. Support is provided for the addition of external network stations via a complete set of interfaces and the ability to reuse ground segment building block components. This paper presents the architectural design of the ground segment and describes its key features, including the main enhancements from RADARSAT-1.