Intelsat has announced a partnership with California-based company Aalyria to advance the development of a new optical technology for ground-to-space data transfer. Aalyria specializes in advanced networking and laser communications technologies.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Intelsat and Aalyria will allow the two companies to jointly deploy Aalyria’s software and hardware platform. This platform enables bi-directional optical ground and space connectivity for satellites at speeds of up to hundreds of gigabits per second. The aim is to provide secure and ultra-fast ground-space connectivity for both government and commercial customers.

The collaborative effort seeks to revolutionize space-based connectivity, similar to how the transition from copper to fiber optics transformed terrestrial connectivity. Aalyria’s multi-orbit network-as-a-service is expected to offer secure, all-optical connectivity, with speeds ranging from hundreds of gigabits to multi-terabits per second. This will benefit various platforms and environments, including spacecraft, aircraft, maritime vessels, and remote field operations.

The partnership intends to deliver significant advancements in data transmission capabilities. Aalyria’s technology is set to deliver massive data files in real-time and provide backup networks for situations where existing networks are lacking in capacity or compromised. The collaboration aims to enhance connectivity options for customers and enable more efficient and secure data transfer between ground and space.

This partnership between Intelsat and Aalyria shows a commitment to pushing the boundaries of connectivity and exploring new possibilities for data transmission in the space industry.