Seven missions launched to test optimised data transfer from space
ESA launched eight CubeSats and a single data‑processing payload aboard SpaceX’s Transporter‑16 mission on 30 March from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The constellation will demonstrate a range of technologies intended to optimise the transfer and handling of data between spacecraft and ground stations, with the goal of delivering information more efficiently to end users.
The payloads include Greece’s OptiSat, a cereal‑box‑sized CubeSat operated by Planetek Hellas and equipped with TESAT’s SCOT20 laser‑communication terminal for secure, high‑speed links to other low‑Earth‑orbit satellites. PeakSat, a loaf‑sized satellite built by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, carries Astrolight’s ATLAS‑1 terminal to test laser links to upgraded Greek optical ground stations. The ERMIS consortium contributes three CubeSats: ERMIS‑1 and ERMIS‑2 (both 6U) each host a dual‑antenna payload that evaluates 5G connectivity for satellite‑based IoT and radio‑frequency inter‑satellite links, while ERMIS‑3 (8U) incorporates an ATLAS‑1 terminal and a hyperspectral camera to validate precise pointing and rapid image transfer for precision agriculture. Within the Pioneer Partnership Projects, Spire Global’s Mission SaaS (6U) demonstrates optical inter‑satellite relays, and AAC Clyde Space’s VIREON mission deploys two 16U CubeSats to supply medium‑resolution Earth‑observation data for land‑management applications. The Belgian firm EDGX flies a compact digital data‑processing unit that combines GPU computing with AI optimisation to benchmark power consumption and reconfigurability in orbit. All hardware is integrated on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle, and the missions are supported by ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) and Industrial Competitiveness programmes.
Collectively, the demonstrations address the growing pressure on radio‑frequency spectrum by validating laser‑based alternatives that can increase throughput while reducing latency. Successful optical‑terminal tests are expected to enhance European competitiveness in secure space communications and to underpin future services such as rapid Earth‑observation delivery, real‑time agricultural monitoring, and satellite‑enabled Internet‑of‑Things networks. The ongoing Greek Connectivity programme and the forthcoming Hellenic Space Dawn mission, scheduled for a May launch, extend the effort to establish a resilient optical infrastructure across multiple European partners.
