lliteSpire has established two-way laser communication between satellites in space.
Takeaway Points
- Spire has established a two-way laser communication between satellites in space.
- Spire will launch three extra LEMUR satellites with OISL technology in 2025.
The Satellites
Spire Global, Inc. ( Spire” or “the Company”), a global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, said on Monday that it has successfully established a two-way optical link between two satellites in orbit. This achievement marks a major step toward enhancing the speed, reliability, and security of data transmissions for future missions.
John E. Ward, Senior Director of Research & Development at Spire, commented, “Precisely pointing two satellites, across distances equivalent of New York to London, and establishing an inter-satellite optical link is a significant milestone for Spire. This achievement places us among a select group of organizations capable of developing and deploying this advanced technology and overcoming the complexities of aligning satellites separated by thousands of kilometers in Low Earth Orbit. Integrating this technology into our future fleet will enhance resilience, improve security, and reduce latency for critical applications.”
Clive Edwards, ESA Pioneer Implementation Manager, remarked, “Through our ARTES Pioneer Partnership Project, we have supported Spire in the development of a new OISL capability for their space data service network. This OISL system is set to transform satellite communications, offering enhanced security and efficiency for space-based data transmission.”
Who are the supporters?
The company said that the development of the OISL technology was supported by a European Space Agency (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Services (ARTES) Pioneer Partnership Project, within ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications directorate, with funding from the UK Space Agency (UKSA).
Other launches?
Spire said that it will launch three extra LEMUR satellites with OISL technology in 2025, two of which are scheduled to launch via Exolaunch on the Transporter-13 rideshare mission with SpaceX.
About Spire Global, Inc.
Spire (NYSE: SPIR) is a global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, offering unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth so that organizations can make decisions with confidence in a rapidly changing world. Spire builds, owns, and operates a fully deployed satellite constellation that observes the Earth in real time using radio frequency technology. The data acquired by Spire’s satellites provides global weather intelligence, ship and plane movements, and spoofing and jamming detection to better predict how their patterns impact economies, global security, business operations, and the environment.
Spire also offers Space as a Service solutions that empower customers to leverage its established infrastructure to put their business in space. Spire has nine offices across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Luxembourg, Germany, and Singapore. To learn more, visit spire.com.
About ESA’s ARTES Partnership Projects programme
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space, coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its Member States to conduct space programmes and activities. The Partnership Projects programme line of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) drives innovation by federating ambitious large-scale, long-term collaborations between ESA, private companies, and satellite operators.
The programme establishes ESA as a key partner in developing major satellite communication systems, new value-adding solutions and services, and providing in-orbit validation. It focuses on substantial, industry-shaping initiatives that require significant investment spanning over several years.
By closely aligning technological ambition with commercial strategy, ARTES Partnership Projects enable European and Canadian organisations to push the boundaries of satellite communications and strengthen their competitiveness on the global market.
Learn more at connectivity.esa.int/partnership-projects.
