The European Space Agency (ESA) has supported the launch of two satellites in the Hellenic Space Dawn mission, the final CubeSat mission in the Greek Connectivity Programme implemented by ESA on behalf of the Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance. The Hellenic Space Dawn satellites were launched to low Earth orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 08:00 a.m. BST (09:00 a.m. CET) on 3 May 2026.
One of the two Hellenic Space Dawn Satellite. Image credit: EMTech Space
Hellenic Space Dawn comprises two 8U-size CubeSats, HELIOS and SELENE, managed by EMTECH SPACE and equipped with CubeCAT laser communication terminals provided by AAC Clyde Space. This mission will also carry high-resolution cameras with the intention of leveraging optical links to enable low-latency support for applications such as cartography and land-use monitoring. In addition, the satellites will support the validation of in-space data processing hardware as well as a radiofrequency inter-satellite links. Once operational, this mission will validate robust direct to Earth (DTE) optical links, offering significant improvements over conventional radio frequency systems for transmission speeds and resistance to interference.
Hellenic Space Dawn is the culmination of the space segment in the Greek Connectivity Programme, an ambitious programme initiated in 2023 to fast-track Greek In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) missions. Implemented by ESA with funding from the European Union, the programme aims to boost the country’s space industry – from design, manufacturing, operation and ground station communications – and strengthen its place in the European space ecosystem.
Long exposure of launch vehicle carrying Hellenic Space Dawn. Image credit: SpaceX
Hellenic Space Dawn is the last of the seven IOD missions in the programme. Alongside three similarly specialised missions launched earlier this year, Hellenic Space Dawn will help to validate next-generation optical terminals in support of Greece’s expanding capabilities in resilient optical communication technologies. Altogether, the seven IOD missions in the Programme feature a total of 11 satellites launched to low Earth orbit between 2025 and 2026. Each spacecraft is currently either performing its nominal mission or progressing through its Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP) during which its operators meticulously check the satellites’ systems’ health in anticipation of commissioning and commencement of normal mission operations.
Together with the expected completion of the Hellenic Assembly, Integration and Testing Facility (HAITF), as well as multiple optical ground stations, the IOD missions contribute to building up the country’s end-to-end space capabilities and foster competitive European solutions.
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/ Study: What would happen to ESA Member States if s...
Study: What would happen to ESA Member States if satellite communications disappeared for seven days?
…EUROPE AND CANADA LOST SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS FOR SEVEN DAYS?
In late 2025, ESA commissioned a study from London Economics to illustrate the critical role of satellite communications (satcom)
The study examined the positive economic and social impact of satcom across five key sectors
Maritime
Aviation
Consumer
Energy
Payment
To capture the scale of Europe and Canada’s reliance on satellite communications and their positive contributions, London Economics’ study estimates the cost of satcom’s absence. The study applies a hypothetical scenario wherein satellite communications are disrupted over seven days during an average week of the year. In this scenario, satellite communications are inhibited across all orbits – with no identified cause – leading to an immediate and global loss of satcom while other space-based services remain operational. The total monetised impacts from this hypothetical loss of satellite communications were estimated at up to €20 billion over the seven-day period.
The London Economics study maps the use of satellite communications across the maritime, aviation, consumer, energy and payment sectors, as well as their related use cases, taking into consideration their dependence on satcom versus terrestrial alternatives. To do so, London Economics undertook 48 stakeholder consultations with customers and end-users of satellite communications, as well as satellite operators and connectivity providers, national regulators, expert stakeholders, financial institutions and academics. The estimate yielded by this study focuses on the economic and social costs of a disruption, quantifying the number of households and businesses affected through:
LOSS OF REVENUE
OPERATIONAL DELAYS
CONSUMER WELFARE LOSS
ENVIRONMENTAL COST
This study illustrates the importance of sustaining resilient satellite communications that support the economic growth and maintenance of social norms across Europe and Canada.
KEY FINDINGS
The result of this study estimates the total monetised impacts from loss of satellite communications in a bracket ranging from €10.2 billion up to as high as €20 billion, as suggested by a sensitivity analysis. In particular, the maritime sector accounts for more than 90% of losses – as high as €19 billion. These findings represent a snapshot of losses based on the current usage of satellite communications in Europe and Canada – a figure that is expected to grow in the medium term as new technologies make their way to market, driving adoption of space-based communications. The socio-economic benefits principally affected by this loss are considered to be (click on the tabs below to cycle through entries):
DIGITAL INCLUSION
Households with no terrestrial infrastructure become cut-off
CARBON SAVINGS
Maritime and aviation routes can no longer be optimised and shortened
SHIPPING
Disrupted vessel and port operations, as well as knock-on effects result in major losses across supply chains
THE RESULTS – MARITIME
CONSERVATIVE
€9.6 billion
SENSITIVE
€19 billion
GMDSS
Inoperative
The total estimated impacts for the maritime sector range from €9.6 billion to €19 billion. The loss of economic activity in transport, warehousing and port support services, as well as the wider knock-on effects across supply chains affect ESA Member States and Canadian domestic industries due to their dependence on maritime imports for key inputs. What’s more, disrupted vessel operations – including for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) – go on to affect the safety of transiting cargo and of roughly 178,000 cruise passengers.
THE RESULTS – AVIATION
CONSERVATIVE
€307.6 million
SENSITIVE
€558.7 million
CANCELLED FLIGHTS
4,000 flights
The estimated impact for aviation ranges from a €307.6 million to €558.7 million, with loss of satellite communications impacting ESA Member States and Canadian airlines and Air Traffic Management and operations control centres. Within the seven-day timeframe of the study’s scenario, no less than 4,000 transatlantic flights are delayed or cancelled. The delays cost airlines €69.2 million, with 1,800 aircraft hours of cascading delays at major hubs valued at €63.8 million. European and Canadian passengers lose a collective 2.2 million hours at a cost of €58.4 million. In addition, the delays incur an environmental impact – with 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emitted at a cost of €44.1 million.
THE RESULTS – CONSUMER
CONSERVATIVE
€262.8 million
SENSITIVE
€352.7 million
FORCED OFFLINE
2.2 million
The estimated cost to consumer activities ranges from €262.8 million to €352.7 million, with 2.2 million citizens in ESA Member States and Canada losing their connectivity. The disruption of satellite communications has broad social consequences: users in remote and mountainous regions lacking coverage suffer the greatest impact, becoming completely cut-off. Digital isolation and reduced access to online education, remote work and healthcare delays are also compounded by the absence of satellite communications. Satellite-enabled emergency messaging in particular is estimated to reach a cost of €4.5 million in societal impact due to disrupted emergency responses.
THE RESULTS – ENERGY
CONSERVATIVE
€73.9 million
SENSITIVE
€89.8 million
FORCED OFFLINE
1,860
Estimated loss for the energy sector ranges from €73.9 million to €89.8 million. Offshore rigs in particular are impacted – pausing operations to the cost of €70.7 million, with standby costs incurred by stack warming reaching €3.1 million. Furthermore, the lack of terrestrial coverage and of alternative infrastructure affect the connectivity for 1,860 offshore crew, with consequences on welfare and mental health.
THE RESULTS – PAYMENTS
Although no monetisable impact was found for the payment infrastructure in ESA Member States and Canada, the consequences of a satellite communications disruptions are nevertheless tangible. ATM and Point of Sale (POS) machines in isolated communities with no terrestrial connectivity lose functionality. Additionally, Canada’s community aggregator model is found fully dependant on satellite operations. In contrast to other sectors however, strong contingency plans exist for payment infrastructure to mitigate loss of communication, enabling operations within seven days even if POS and ATMs become fully reliant on satellite communications in the future.
LIMITATIONS AND NEXT STEPS
The overall monetised impacts estimated by the study are expected to be higher than the brackets illustrated above. Indeed, multiple known users of satellite communications were excluded from the scope of this study – including media, government and defence. Moreover, monetised impacts do not account for financial transfers within Member States and can result in monetised impacts appearing lower than expected in this report.
Future research should explore the role of satellite communications as a back-up to terrestrial communication infrastructure, additional and emerging use cases, as well as evolving dependencies. This information will be invaluable to better inform resilience planning, investment decisions, and policy development.
CONSULT THE FULL REPORT
The full report is accessible for free on the London Economics website.
ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT)
Fermi Avenue
Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0FD, United Kingdom
Ben.Colton@esa.int
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/ ESA chooses Kepler to build satellite for in-orbit...
ESA chooses Kepler to build satellite for in-orbit interoperability demonstration of three ‘made-in-Europe’ optical communications terminals and space situational awareness camera
The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected the Canada-based Kepler Communications Inc. as prime contractor to build its demonstration satellite for multi-orbit, secure, real-time optical communications under the Agency’s High-thRoughput Optical Network (HydRON) project.
The HydRON Element 3 signature took place at the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. From right to left: ESA Director General, Josef Aschbacher; ESA Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, Laurent Jaffart; President of the Canadian Space Agency, Lisa Campbell; Kepler Communications’ CEO and Co-Founder Mina Mitry; Director General of the German Space Agency, DLR, Walther Pelzer; and Head of the Optical and Quantum Communication Office, Harald Hauschildt. Image credit: Kepler Communications
The contract agreement was signed by Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity at ESA, and by Mina Mitry, Co-founder and CEO of Kepler, on 14 April 2026 at the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. The signature was witnessed by ESA Director General, Josef Aschbacher, and Canadian Space Agency President, Lisa Campbell, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and executive representatives from Astrolight, TESAT, Vyoma and MBRYONICS, who form Kepler’s industrial consortium.
This agreement will see Kepler provide one of its standard satellite platforms – already deployed within the company’s own network – as well as launch preparations and in-orbit operations for the mission. Kepler’s platform will host a space situational awareness payload and optical communication terminal hardware, provided by additional partners from ESA Member States: Vyoma and TESAT from Germany, MBRYONICS from Ireland and Astrolight from Lithuania, illustrating the advanced capabilities of the European ecosystem.
Under ESA’s Optical & Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme, HydRON responds to the long-term need of ESA Member States to develop, implement and operate a secure space communications infrastructure capable of handling the growing demand for fast and secure transmission of space data. Optical links meet these requirements by functioning through direct line-of-sight between two terminals. This characteristic enables gigabit-speed data transfers that are inherently more difficult to intercept and disrupt than traditional satellite communications using radio frequency.
The HydRON project is being implemented as a Demonstration System comprising three elements: Element 1 consists of a low Earth orbit constellation of ten satellites, which can link optically with one another and to several optical ground stations; Element 2 extends the network across multiple orbits, including geostationary orbit; and Element 3 focuses on validating data-transmission uses cases with commercial users through the HydRON network.
ESA Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, Laurent Jaffart (right), signed the contract to kick-start HydRON’s Element 3 with Kepler Communications’ Co-Founder and CEO Mina Mitry (left). Image credit: Kepler Communications
Within the framework of Element 3, Kepler’s mission will aim to demonstrate interoperability between various commercial optical terminal systems and across multiple orbits. These capabilities are crucial to boosting the resilience of European communications infrastructure with a high-capacity optical data relay network across low and medium Earth orbits.
“HydRON will serve as the world’s first multi-orbital optical communications network with a terabit-per-second capacity, offering resilient and efficient data transfer to address the challenges of bringing connectivity to multiple users securely, quickly and reliably,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity. “Today’s signature with Kepler Communications continues our collaboration on the project, as they contribute their expertise in concert with their consortium to deliver within Element 3; the component of HydRON that’s key to building new industrial capabilities, demonstrating new service concepts, fostering system extensions, and promoting international cooperation and interoperability.”
“HydRON is a key initiative in advancing sovereign optical communications and enabling high-capacity data transport,” said Mina Mitry, CEO and Co-Founder of Kepler. “Element 3 represents a critical step in broad interoperability testing and delivering real-time access to data for various applications.”
“With HydRON Element 3 and further HydRON evolutions, ESA will respond to the needs of its Member States for high speed and secure communications across air, High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS), maritime and – in the longer term – deep space communications,” said Harald Hauschildt, Head of the Optical and Quantum Communication Office in charge of ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme line.
This contract builds on Kepler’s previous contribution to HydRON Element 1 and comes on the heels of earlier announcement within the framework of Element 3, highlighting the strategic importance of HydRON for ESA and its Member States. This mission will help build on-orbit heritage and operational experience for several payload providers – accelerating the integration of optical communication technologies into future HydRON capabilities.
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ESA’s quantum satellite to be built by Redwire to advance ultra-secure communications for Europe
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Quantum Key Distribution Satellite (QKDSat) spacecraft will be provided by Redwire, in Belgium, to accelerate the development of ultra-secure communication infrastructure in space. This announcement is part of a larger contract awarded to a consortium led by Honeywell UK, in September 2025.
QKDSat responds to ESA’s Member States’ need for resilient, secure and sovereign communications. Image credit: European Space Agency
QKDSat, a project under ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Partnership Projects programme, responds to ESA’s Member States’ need for resilient, secure and sovereign communications. The project aims to provide quantum key distribution capabilities via satellite to help safeguard against communication data breaches. QKD makes use of photons to generate truly random encryption keys and distribute them to relevant parties. Due to its sensitivity, the system is capable of detecting interference from attempts to intercept the quantum encryption key and immediately cease distribution to maintain security. Using satellites for this purpose will allow QKD implementation over long distances, overcoming a notable limitation of ground-based QKD systems. Redwire will manufacture and deliver the spacecraft, based on its Hammerhead platform and supported by its advanced ADPMS-3 avionics suite. In addition, the company will design the mission-critical QKD payload that will work alongside the optical terminals developed by Honeywell Canada.
“With QKDSat, we will take a leading role in ensuring resilient and secure commercial and governmental communications across our Member States, particularly against a backdrop of ever-increasing cyber threats. We look forward to collaborating closely with Redwire and partners as we utilise their high-class expertise to deliver the future of satellite communications,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity at ESA.
“Quantum secure communications is critical to the future of European autonomy. We are proud to leverage Redwire’s expertise in spacecraft development and avionics to support QKDSat,” said Marc Dielissen, Executive Vice President of Redwire Europe. “Satellite quantum key distribution enables truly global, long-distance secure communication, overcoming the range limitations of terrestrial fibre-based quantum networks.”
ESA is developing QKDSat in collaboration with a consortium led by Honeywell Aerospace, and which includes Redwire, QTLabs, Craft Prospect, British Telecom, COLT, Lumino Technologies as well as multiple participants across Europe’s space ecosystem. QKDSat convenes no less than six of ESA’s Member and Participating States, including the UK, Belgium, Austria, Canada, Czechia and Switzerland.
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/ Launch success! Three more European satellites lau...
Launch success! Three more European satellites launch on Transporter-16 with support from ESA’s Pioneer Partnership Projects
The European Space Agency (ESA) has supported the launch of two CubeSat missions under its Pioneer Partnership Projects with Spire Global and UK-based AAC Clyde Space, and with co-funding from the UK Space Agency. Spire Global’s SaaS and AAC Clyde Space’s VIREON™ missions share the goal of expanding their commercial offering with in-orbit-demonstrations of new technologies and platforms. SaaS and VIREON™ were launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) onboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 12:02 pm BST (13:02 PM CET).
A render of Spire’s SaaS satellite Image credit: Spire Global
As the number of spacecraft in orbit grows, so does the natural bottleneck imposed by the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum on satellite communications. The limited availability of bandwidth and ground station time, as well as the slower data rates and stringent registration regulations governing the RF spectrum, compound the challenge of scaling satellite fleets. The SaaS Pioneer Project with Spire Global leverages both RF and optical inter-satellite links to enable the company to optimise the transmission of mission-critical data for its customers. The new 6U CubeSat launched for the SaaS mission aims to demonstrate technically-demanding cross-plane optical communications between itself and two other CubeSats already in a different orbit – a critical capability to optimise constellation communications.
VIREON-1 satellite in a cleanroom. Image credit: AAC Clyde Space
The VIREON™ mission, part of the xSPANCION Pioneer Partnership Project between ESA and AAC Clyde Space, comprises of four 16U CubeSats demonstrating a new mini-constellation capability for Earth Observation data services. The first two of these CubeSats are being launched on Transporter-16, with a further two planned for launch on Transporter-18 later in 2026. The xSPANCION project is so named for its goal to expand the production capabilities for AAC Clyde Space’s existing satellite platforms. What’s more, xSPANCION also supports the development of a larger 16U CubeSat platform offering, with a payload-agnostic design capable of adapting to a variety of mission requirements. The VIREON™ mission will allow AAC Clyde Space to demonstrate its new platform and enable scalable Earth Observation data services under real operating conditions on orbit.
“VIREON™ addresses a clear need in the market for Earth Observation data that can be used operationally and at scale,” says Luis Gomes, CEO of AAC Clyde Space. “The constellation is designed to provide a cost-effective balance of coverage, detail and revisit frequency, enabling practical monitoring of land and natural resources. With this mission, we are expanding our capacity to deliver data services to more customers.”
“This Transporter-16 launch marks an important step forward for the UK’s ambitions in next-generation satellite communications,” said Henny Sands, Head of Telecommunications at the UK Space Agency. “By supporting both breakthrough optical technologies and high-volume production methods, we are enabling British companies to lead in the markets that will define the future of global connectivity.”
View of the CubeSat deployers on the launch vehicle’s second stage. Image credit: SpaceX
Pioneer Partnership Projects are part of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES), the Agency’s flagship telecommunications programme. The Pioneer Partnership Project helps start-ups and emerging space mission providers to validate and demonstrate their services in orbit. Flight heritage is a major indicator of a technology’s reliability and a crucial factor in securing new contracts. Conversely, securing access to space to establish this flight history is a costly and complex endeavour, making this stage pivotal to the commercial success of companies developing new space technologies. For this reason, ESA designed Pioneer to provide financial, programmatic and technical support to new Space Mission Providers, effectively de-risking new technologies and services and lowering the barrier to entry to space.
The three satellites launched on Transporter-16 join 22 spacecraft already launched with ESA’s Pioneer Partnership Projects.
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/ Off-the-shelf AI-powered data processing unit succ...
Off-the-shelf AI-powered data processing unit successfully launches aboard 16U satellite, with ESA support
Long exposure shot of Transporter 16’s launch. Image credit: SpaceX
The European Space Agency (ESA) has supported the launch of Belgian in-orbit computing start-up EDGX’s STERNA AI-powered on-board data processing unit. STERNA will conduct in-orbit experiments as a hosted payload on a 16U satellite mission. The satellite containing EDGX’s STERNA was launched onboard SpaceX’s Transporter 16 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base to a sun-synchronous orbit on 31 March at 12:02 pm BST (13:02 PM CET).
The EDGX STERNA mission marks the company’s first launch into space, with support from ESA’s Industrial Competitiveness programme line, a component of the Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme.
A render of EDGX’s data processing unit. Image credit: EDGX
The experimental mission will benchmark the performance and power consumption of the STERNA onboard data processing unit across multiple computationally intensive applications. A key test case for the STERNA data process unit will be the detection of communication signal interference, to identify and locate sources of Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum interference.
In the longer term, EDGX aims to offer in-orbit computing as a service, enabling customers to access scalable processing power in space without the need to deploy their own systems.
STERNA is a milestone towards EDGX’s goal of developing a generic commercial solution for power-efficient, data processing. The degree of processing power afforded by the combination of powerful commercial GPUs with advanced AI acceleration has yet to be deployed on spacecraft due to spaceflight’s stringent operating requirements and hazardous environment: higher processing capabilities draw more power from satellites, which are typically energy-constrained to what their solar panels can yield. Furthermore, the rigors of spaceflight expose components to intense radiation, vibrations, as well thermal and mechanical stress.
This has traditionally led satellites to use task-specific, simplified computers, reducing points of failure and sacrificing processing capabilities for reliability. However, with increasingly data-intensive applications being deployed across growing satellite constellations, the communication between the satellite and the ground has become a mission bottleneck limiting the speed, reliability and security of transmissions.
EDGX’s solution is an AI-powered data processing unit that is directly integrated onboard satellites. Satellites generate large volumes of raw data that are often difficult to process using traditional approaches, placing significant strain on downlink capacity and ground-based processing systems.
The satellite hosting EDGX’s data processing unit. Image credit: SpaceLocker
By enabling advanced data processing directly in orbit, the EDGX STERNA unit can analyse and extract relevant information in real time, reducing the need to transmit large volumes of unprocessed data to Earth. This significantly optimises bandwidth usage and improves the speed and efficiency of satellite operations.
“Onboard computing is crucial to many of the future applications we are working on at ESA,” said Domenico Mignolo, Head of Technology and Products Division at ESA. “EDGX’s novel solution and fast-paced approach takes advantage of the full European value chain and shows how quickly we can send brand new innovations into orbit.”
“With support from the European Space Agency, EDGX took a computing concept from idea to launch in under two years,” said Wouter Benoot, Co-Founder & CTO at EDGX. “Our work demonstrates how startups can effectively collaborate with ESA in a fast-paced environment, pushing the European innovation mindset.”
View of the CubeSat deployers on the launch vehicle’s second stage. Image credit: SpaceX
With support from ESA’s ARTES 4.0 Industrial Competitiveness, the Belgian company leverages the NewSpace model to rapidly test cutting-edge technology: EDGX uses an off-the-shelf AI chip to circumvent the traditionally lengthy and costly development cycle involved in making innovations space-worthy. By launching the first generation of their onboard data processing unit directly into space as a payload hosted alongside other experiments on a single satellite, EDGX will be able to collect invaluable performance data whilst demonstrating problem-solving for a variety of applications in real operating conditions. This approach will help the company accelerate its technology development as well as its time-to-market.
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DUTHSat-2, inaugural satellite in ESA-supported Greek Satellite Connectivity programme, proceeds through early operations phase
The DUTHsat-2 mission, the first of seven missions implemented by the European Space Agency (ESA) on behalf of the Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance for Greek National Small Satellite Programme is progressing through its Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP) in low Earth orbit. The satellite was originally launched as part of the Transporter-14 mission on Monday 23 June 2025 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.
Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-14 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on 23 June 2025. Image credit: SpaceX
DUTHSat-2 is a 6U CubeSat that will perform In Orbit validations of essential telemetry and housekeeping units as well as demonstrations for its payload, a camera designed to take pictures over the land and sea in the visible and near infrared spectrum. This mission is led by the Democritus University of Thrace, with support of the Athena Research Centre and companies Space Asics and Prisma Electronics SA.
Since its launch in mid-2025, DUTHSat-2 has been undergoing progressive activation and monitoring of onboard systems and deployable elements – a process referred to as LEOP. This phase of the mission allows teams to monitor the spacecraft’s health while configuring it for standard operations. The next milestone for the mission will be its commissioning, which will mark the start of its core in-orbit demonstration and validation missions.
DUTHSat-2 in its flight configuration. Image credit: Democritus University of Thrace
DUTHSat-2 was the inaugural launch for the Greek Connectivity Programme, followed up by the MICE-1 and PHASMA missions in late 2025. The remaining four missions in the programme are expected to launch no earlier than March 2026 and will conduct a test campaign for spaceborne optical laser terminals. The Greek National Small Satellite Programme is implemented by the Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance, supported by the General Secretariat of Telecommunications and Posts, and overseen by the Hellenic Space Center, with ESA’s support. This initiative is part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan ‘Greece 2.0’, which is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), core programme of the European Union’s NextGenerationEU. The programme aims to build national expertise in space technologies while enabling demonstrations in areas such as Earth observation and secure connectivity.
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/ Next-generation optical ground station for fast an...
Next-generation optical ground station for fast and secure connectivity ready to begin operations in Chile, with ESA support
A new optical ground station established by SSC Space under the NODES contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), and with support from the Swedish National Space Agency has passed site acceptance testing and is ready for operations in Santiago, Chile. The new optical ground station further aligns with ESA’s goal to develop fast and secure satellite communications.
Top view of the SSC Space Optical ground station in Santiago, Chile. Imaged credit: SSC Space
This achievement is the result of close collaboration between Sweden’s SSC Space, France’s Safran Space and ESA under the Agency’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme. Manufactured by Safran Space, this new optical ground station will be part of SSC Space’s optical ground network service, offering free-space laser communications with bi-directional capabilities that will enable two-way links between satellites and the ground for a variety of in-orbit missions. The optical ground station will also support Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA) standards through integrated modems for additional compatibility.
The optical link capabilities of this new station are faster and more secure than traditional radio frequency (RF) satellite communication systems. Instead of being broadcast, satellite data can be transmitted through a laser beam at exponentially faster speeds with nearly no loss in quality; SSC Space’s ground station is capable of data rates of up to 10 gigabit per second – or a tenfold increase over the average speed for RF transmissions. This is particularly important for time-sensitive applications, such as disaster response, which require complete and actionable data sets quickly after they area collected in orbit.
Because the transmission of data through narrow, direct optical links is inherently more difficult to intercept and interfere with than traditional RF links. In addition, by bypassing the RF spectrum entirely, this optical communications system does not require licensing, allowing operators to avoid lengthy regulatory bottlenecks.
SSC Space Optical ground station in Santiago, Chile. Image credit: SSC Space
SSC Space’s optical ground station is housed in a 100-hectare site protected by the Andes foothills. It runs on locally generated solar power provided by a 624-panel solar array capable of 350-kilowatt hour, reducing its carbon emissions by eight percent. The station joins another installation that started testing in 2025 in Western Australia, inaugurating a network of optical ground stations supporting direct-to-Earth laser links. The development of SSC Space’s network is underpinned by ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme, which focuses on the development of optical ground station networks to complement traditional RF capabilities.
SSC Space Optical ground station in Santiago, Chile. Image credit: SSC Space
“At ESA, we’re working with our partners to showcase the ‘Made in Europe’ innovations that will provide connectivity to our Member States that’s faster, more secure and more resilient than ever before,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity. “Our Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme is an essential tool to keeping our partners at the leading edge of the global satellite communications market, and this partnership with SSC Space shows just how we’re delivering connectivity solutions beyond Europe and Canada.”
“The station in Santiago is not just another node – it’s a leap forward. We’re moving satellite communications into a new era of speed, security, and resilience. As part of the NODES network, this station brings us closer to fulfilling tomorrow’s mission needs, with interference-resistant transmission capable of meeting heavy data demand,” says Hanna Sundberg, Optical Programme Manager at SSC Space.
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ESA’s flagship optical communications project awards Mynaric with contract to develop technology for its Demonstration System
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded German optical communications company Mynaric with a contract to build a laser communications Demonstration System for its High Throughput Optical Network (HydRON) project. Mynaric will help to develop the technology necessary for in-orbit demonstrations of a European secure laser communications network, a crucial step to enabling further research into high-speed optical links such as the ESA Specifications for Terabit/sec Optical Links (ESTOL).
HydRON optical communication for broadband in space. Image credit: European Space Agency
The HydRON project aims to bolster the resilience of European communications infrastructure by deploying a high capacity, secure and interoperable optical data relay network across low and medium Earth orbits. This focus on optical communications falls under the umbrella of the larger Optical & Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme line of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES), alongside projects to develop, demonstrate and implement quantum technologies for satellite communications.
HydRON addresses the long-term need expressed by ESA’s Member States to develop, implement and operate a secure space communications infrastructure capable of meeting the growing demand for larger volumes of space data at speeds edging ever closer to real time. Optical links have the potential to meet all these requirements: by virtue of functioning through direct line of sight, laser communications not only enable consistent gigabit speed data transfers – orders of magnitude faster than traditional RF communications – but are also inherently more difficult to intercept or interfere with.
HydRON’s Element 3 focuses on demonstrating the applications of this technology within the user segment by creating a testing environment in real operating conditions. Within this framework, Mynaric will contribute laser communications terminals to the Element 3 Demonstration System. These terminals will enable in-orbit testing and validation of service concepts and mission architectures for future commercial and institutional use cases aboard maritime and airborne platforms.
What’s more, the Demonstration System will build on the work carried out under HydRON Element 2 to demonstrate interoperability across multiple orbital regimes and potential international partner networks. Indeed, Mynaric was previously awarded a contract to provide laser communications terminals for both ground and space segments of the network comprising Element 2. This element will aim to establish a satellite collector in low Earth orbit, using optical technology to connect space communications networks spread across several layers of orbits.
The Demonstration System is a stepping stone towards the development of technologies crucial to ESA’s roadmap for an interoperable, high-speed space communications infrastructure. In particular, ESTOL will leverage the in-orbit demonstration capabilities of HydRON Element 3 to test high-data-rate optical links – towards a capacity of terabit per second – to support the implementation and deployment of future optical satellite networks.
“With HydRON, we’re aiming for a world-first optical network that allows for fast, terabit-per-second capacity communications with no interference. The project will offer a scalable capacity that will allow for reliable and seamless global connectivity, designed to benefit even the most remote of locations,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity at ESA. “In the current geopolitical climate, resilient communications are more important than ever, and with Mynaric, we’re taking the next step in delivering an infrastructure that promotes interoperability, reliability and security for a wide range of satellite communication services.”
“The HydRON Demonstration System provides a unique opportunity to test and refine laser communications technologies in an operational network environment,” said Joachim Horwath, Chief Technology Officer at Mynaric. “Through these demonstrations, we can further mature our technology, address interoperability requirements, and continue expanding our product portfolio to meet the evolving needs of multi-orbit and multi-mission space networks.”
“The selection of Mynaric for the HydRON User Segment activities reflects ESA’s confidence in our technological expertise and our ability to execute on complex optical communications programs,” said Andreas Reif, Chief Restructuring Officer of Mynaric. “It represents an important milestone as we continue to strengthen the company, expand our role within Europe’s space infrastructure, and position Mynaric for sustainable growth as a key contributor to future European and global space and defense networks.”
Mynaric’s work on the HydRON Element 3 Demonstration System will contribute to setting the stage for a resilient and interoperable European space communications infrastructure capable of supporting a wide breadth of commercial and institutional mission concepts.
While the implementation of the HydRON Demonstration System proceeds apace, ESA is also preparing the next evolutionary phase of HydRON within the Optical & Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme line. Leveraging the inherent resilience of optical communications, including their low probability of detection and interception (LPD/LPI) characteristics, ESA is exploring the technical opportunities they offer for airborne platforms (HAPS and aircraft), maritime users, as well as deep‑space communications.
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ESA joins the O-RAN ALLIANCE to refine seamless satellite-to-smartphone connectivity
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that it has joined the O-RAN ALLIANCE to help develop ties between mobile operators and satellite network operators. ESA’s participation will boost space segment engagement with mobile network operators and facilitate the integration of satellite communications technologies and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into future O-RAN standards.
Artist’s illustration of satellite and terrestrial networks. Image credit: Shutterstock
This move is coherent with the emphasis placed by ESA’s Member States on the development of 5G and 6G technologies and integrated terrestrial/non-terrestrial networks (TN/NTN). Indeed, the Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme line of the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme was fully funded at the Council meeting at Ministerial level 2025 (CM25), reflecting the continued trust placed by ESA’s Member States in its mission to deliver the benefits of space communications technologies for its citizens.
ESA’s membership to the O-RAN ALLIANCE adds to a worldwide community of mobile network operators, vendors, and research, academic and government institutions, pooling deep practical know-how and technical insight. The ALLIANCE aims to transform the design and deployment of radio access networks (RAN), on which mobile telephony and connectivity rely. By promoting innovation throughout the telecommunications ecosystem, the ALLIANCE aims to enable standardised, open and interoperable interfaces and intelligent RAN functions across vendors, reducing dependency on proprietary solutions.
ESA is uniquely positioned to bridge the ALLIANCE’s existing community with Space Network Operators (SNO) and facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration. Through ESA’s membership, SNOs will be able to work with the Agency to take an active contributor role to defining the operational requirements of the space segment and solving the technical challenges of merging the two network ecosystems.
In the view of accelerating this process and strengthening cooperation between the space and terrestrial ecosystems, ESA will join the O-RAN ALLIANCE’s work on NTN and will help to engage key stakeholders by leading a group of NTN companies working to interact with O-RAN. ESA and other NTN companies have already engaged with O-RAN in a workshop that took place at the O-RAN ALLIANCE Face-to-Face meetings in Rome in February 2026.
“Joining the O-RAN ALLIANCE is a major step towards fleshing out the integration of TN/NTN,” said Antonio Franchi, Head of ESA’s Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme. “We will work together to define the standards that will steer the worldwide deployment of these next-gen networks for the benefit of our Member States’ citizens. At the same time, we are helping our satellite network operators become recognised as global leaders in the matter and fostering a strong ecosystem that will support their commercial success.”
“ESA’s participation in the O-RAN ALLIANCE reflects the strategic importance of embedding Non-Terrestrial Networks within open RAN architectures,” said Angelos Goulianos, 5G/6G Systems Engineer at the European Space Agency. “As 5G evolves towards 6G, space–terrestrial integration must be addressed at system level to ensure interoperable and resilient global connectivity. Through focused programme activities, coordinated industrial engagement, and access to ESA testing facilities and validation environments, ESA supports technology evolution and product readiness, strengthening European competitiveness towards the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks”
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