Optical satcoms market blooms as new partnership targets smallsat opportunity

摘要

A new age in space is aborning as three European com panies have announced the latest partnership in laser based optical communications for smallsat missions and space services. The deal involving GomSpace, KSAT and TESAT comes amid the potential for a major acquisition in the nascent sector. Optical satellite communications promise magnitude-level increases in data capacity and efficiencies over radio-frequency transmissions, but also carry higher transponder costs and other challenges. SpaceX could be mulling a tie-up with Germany based laser communications startup Mynaric (FRA:M0Y), an optical communications executive who requested ano nymity said. SpaceX founder Elon Musk wants to have his own chain for data communications for the company's Starlink constellation, the person added. An executive links the two companies. In mid-March, Bulent Altan was named to the board of Mynaric and its co-CEO, sharing the position with Wolfram Peschko. Altan joined SpaceX in 2004, only two years after the founding of the launch provider, and had two positions at the executive level, most recendy as VP of satellite mission assurance. If a deal between the two were to happen, it would ripple through the optical communications sector of satellite and have an impact on others with plans in the segment.