MBRYONICS has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) for in-orbit demonstration activities by a team led by Kepler Communications, under Element 3 of the High-throughput Optical Network (HydRON) program. HydRON is a project under ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight program, within the Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES).
In collaboration with Kepler Communications, MBRYONICS StarCom Optical Terminal has been selected to demonstrate full interoperability with other optical terminal providers during the in-orbit demonstration. MBRYONICS ground station test bed has also been selected to provide the on-ground interoperability verification.
The StarCom Optical Terminal, alongside the on-ground verification infrastructure, creates a unified, end-to-end communication link critical for delivering high data rates, ESTOL compliance, and low latency to service complex satellite configurations, including the HydRON network. MBRYONICS serves as the industry’s universal translator, as it’s the only provider that can bridge all optical communication standards to create a seamless, integrated network that delivers terabit speeds across LEO, MEO, and GEO orbits.
“The internet was built by making different networks talk to each other, and that’s exactly what we’re doing in space,” says John Mackey, CEO of MBRYONICS. “These demonstrations will allow us to prove that our laser communication technologies enable satellites from different providers to communicate seamlessly in orbit, strengthening Europe’s pioneering role in the global space economy.”
“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 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 an ESA project to enable secure, real-time data transport across multiple orbits and between space and ground systems. As the prime contractor, Kepler will deliver a hosted-payload mission with multiple European optical communication terminals (OCT) and payloads from service providers on a standard Kepler-built satellite used in Kepler’s network. The mission will provide on-orbit heritage and operational experience for MBRYONICS, supporting the integration of optical communications technologies into future HydRON capabilities and associated commercial services.
The €18.6M award follows MBRYONICS’ successful contribution to HydRON Element 2, where the company delivered optical testbed facilities to build system reliability as part of a consortium led by Thales Alenia Space.
About MBRYONICS
MBRYONICS is a deep-tech company building the internet in space. We manufacture laser communications systems that transmit and process data through beams of light at speeds 1,000x faster than traditional radio. As the only laser communications company whose platform technologies operate across all major optical standards, MBRYONICS is the infrastructure layer the space internet is built on, delivering space-to-ground, ground-to-space, and space-to-space communication. Its technology has been selected by the European Space Agency and DARPA’s Space-BACN program. MBRYONICS is headquartered in Galway, Ireland. For more information, visit mbryonics.com
About ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight 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. Part of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES), the Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme focuses on advancing optical and quantum technologies to revolutionise satellite communications. ScyLight supports the research, development and utilisation of these technologies, for instance through the High-throughput Optical Network (HydRON) project for seamlessly integrating space assets into terrestrial communication networks. ESA is enabling future quantum communication networks with ultra-secure global connectivity by advancing space-based quantum key distribution and maturing technologies already available today.
Through supporting industry to develop and extend its manufacturing capabilities, ScyLight helps prepare European and Canadian industry stakeholders to seize related market opportunities.
Learn more at https://connectivity.esa.int/archives/programme-line/optical-quantum-communication-scylight