CASIS, manager of the ISS National Lab, selects SpaceLink to demonstrate its end-to-end relay service for secure, continuous, high-capacity communications between spacecraft and the ground
McLean, Va. – August 2, 2021 – SpaceLink, a company that is building the communications superhighway for the space economy, announced that it was selected by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), manager of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, for a funded demonstration of its end-to-end relay service which provides secure, continuous, high capacity communications between spacecraft and the ground. The demonstration will validate the use of a 10 Gigabit per second optical terminal, for real-time voice, video, and data exchange between ISS crew, onboard systems, experiments, and terrestrial users.
In a highly competitive process, made available for companies and research teams to propose technology development concepts capable of being utilized in low Earth orbit (LEO), the SpaceLink concept was selected by CASIS. With this selection, SpaceLink can advance its proposal for a potential flight project to the orbiting research and technology development outpost sponsored by the ISS National Lab. The SpaceLink relay network is designed to pick up where the NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) leaves off and go beyond with unprecedented capacity that leverages the latest technology advances in optical communications.
“Our demonstration on the ISS is the first step to proving SpaceLink’s capabilities to advance space science and the emerging space economy,” said David Bettinger, SpaceLink CEO. “Funding from CASIS marks an important milestone in SpaceLink’s roadmap to providing massive bandwidth for organizations that need real-time connectivity between space and the ground.”
With the proliferation of spacecraft in LEO, the demand for fast, continuous, high-capacity connectivity on orbit continues to grow. SpaceLink is designed to help close the business case for Earth observation companies, commercial space stations, satellite servicers, launch vehicles and space tugs. It also meets requirements for the U.S. Government and close allies that want to leverage secure industry solutions to maximize capabilities.
On July 28, 2021 CASIS notified SpaceLink of its intent to award a User Agreement. A fully executed agreement with program schedule and milestone deliverables is expected to be completed in the coming months.
About SpaceLink
SpaceLink will help advance humanity to a new age of space commerce, exploration, environmental awareness, and security. The Always in Sight™ data relay system provides global coverage to empower space system operators to maximize use of their assets. SpaceLink Corporation is headquartered in the Washington DC area and has offices in Silicon Valley, California. It is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited, a public company traded on the Australian stock exchange.
About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory
The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under cooperative agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit www.ISSNationalLab.org
