Focus: Optical Communications
April 3, 2024
Mynaric hit a product maturity milestone by starting volume production for the CONDOR Mk3, its flagship optical communications terminal, Mynaric announced on April 3. The laser communication company began production for the communications terminal in early 2024 and completed the first shipment last week. The initial shipments of the CONDOR Mk3 free space optical communications…
January 24, 2024
Dutch research firm TNO and AAC ClydeSpace have successfully transferred data from a laser satellite communications terminal in space down to Earth in a recent demonstration. The laser communication system called SmallCAT was launched in April 2023 aboard NORSAT-TD, a satellite operated by the Norwegian Space Agency. TNO said in a Wednesday announcement that the…
December 19, 2023
Axiom Space is partnering with Kepler Communications US and Skyloom Global to integrate and demonstrate optical inter-satellite links (OISLs) on the first module of the company’s commercial space station. The companies announced Dec. 19 what they are calling an orbital data center. This work will allow for data to be transmitted to and from the…
December 14, 2023
Amazon’s prototype Kuiper satellites are equipped with optical inter-satellite links, Amazon revealed Dec. 14, along with the news the links have been successfully tested in space. Amazon shared that its prototype satellites launched in October include advanced optical communications payloads which completed multiple successful demonstrations. In the tests in early November, the payloads maintained 100…