Tag: optical communications
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This former hacker saw the light—and now wants to collect all of it
BLUEMONT, Va.—From an overlook in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dan Roelker gazed across the green splendor of the Shenandoah Valley. With the pleasant spring afternoon drawing toward evening, the Sun lazily crossed the sky, casting light all around. The pleasing environs had put Roelker, who was drinking rye whiskey procured from a…
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You want your Moon landings in HD? So does NASA—here’s how it’s happening.
During most of the Artemis II mission, the crew of four astronauts beamed back low-definition video, both from inside the spacecraft and from exterior views of the Moon. It was exhilarating stuff, but in a world in which we’re all watching HDTVs, it also felt a little flat. This is because Orion largely communicated with…
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ESA Awards Kepler Prime Contract for HydRON Element 3 Optical Comms
Why Did ESA Select Kepler for Its Critical HydRON Element 3? The European Space Agency has awarded Toronto-based Kepler Communications the prime contractor role for HydRON Element 3, marking a significant milestone in Europe’s push for sovereign optical communications infrastructure. The selection positions the Canadian smallsat operator at the center of ESA’s most ambitious laser…
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Sophia Space deploys orbital compute on Kepler’s optical network
How will Sophia Space’s orbital compute nodes change space-based processing? Sophia Space will deploy its first edge compute nodes aboard Kepler Communications satellites in late 2026, creating a distributed orbital computing infrastructure linked by optical data relays. The strategic partnership announced April 13 represents the first commercial integration of dedicated compute hardware with an operational…
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Rocket Lab Secures German Approval for Mynaric Acquisition
Rocket Lab said it has received regulatory clearance from Germany to proceed with its planned acquisition of Mynaric, with the transaction expected to close in April. The approval was granted by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, enabling the company to move forward with the deal as part of its strategy to expand…
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Galaxia and Apolink Partner to Demonstrate Inter-Satellite Links in 2027 Mission
Canada’s Galaxia Mission Systems has signed a strategic partnership with U.S.-based Apolink Communications to demonstrate hybrid optical and radio-frequency inter-satellite link (ISL) technology on a future spacecraft scheduled for launch in 2027. Under the agreement, Apolink’s communications system will be tested aboard a Galaxia satellite operating in sun-synchronous orbit, a configuration commonly used for Earth…
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Gilmour Space and Transcelestial Partner on Laser Communications for Satellites
Australian launch and satellite company Gilmour Space Technologies has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Singapore-based laser communications firm Transcelestial to integrate optical communications technology into future satellite platforms, the companies said on Monday. As a first step, Gilmour Space will fly a Transcelestial laser communications terminal on an upcoming mission, supporting an in-orbit…
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Samara Aerospace Raises $10 Million Seed Round to Improve Satellite Stability
Samara Aerospace, a San Francisco-based satellite bus developer, has raised $10 million in seed funding to advance a new approach to satellite stability that it says can significantly reduce vibration and improve performance in orbit. The round was led by Balerion Space Ventures, with participation from Illinois Ventures, MFV Partners and Access Venture Partners. The…
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Voyager Technologies Wins U.S. Patent for Microgravity Crystal Manufacturing
Voyager Technologies has secured a U.S. government patent for a process that manufactures high-performance crystals in microgravity, a technology the company says could underpin future optical communications and advanced computing systems. The company said this week it plans to fly the patented manufacturing process to the International Space Station later this spring to demonstrate the…
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U.S. military begins launching satellites to counter hypersonic missile threat
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifts off Sunday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: SpaceX The first 10 spacecraft for a planned U.S. military mega-constellation launched from California Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, setting in place the keystone for a multibillion-dollar network of hundreds of small satellites to improve defenses against hypersonic missiles…