Reflex Aerospace and Odysseus Space to Demonstrate Laser Communication Terminal in Orbit, Empowering Rapid & Secure Space2Ground Data Transfer

Berlin and Munich, Germany & Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg 17 September 2024 – Reflex Aerospace, a manufacturer of dual-use satellite platforms, has been selected to host Odysseus Space’s Cyclops™ Space2Ground laser communication terminal on an upcoming mission. The mission signifies a strategic push to tackle the growing need for in-orbit, high-bandwidth data transfer. As the space industry confronts downlink bottlenecks due to limited spectrum availability in traditional radio frequency (RF) communications, Reflex and Odysseus are stepping up to demonstrate the next generation of laser communication solutions.

 

This mission will perform an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) of Odysseus’ satellite laser terminal (Cyclops-DTE), the keystone of Odysseus’ plan for Laser Communications as a Service (LCaaS™). Reflex’s satellite will connect Cyclops-DTE to Odysseus’ proprietary optical ground station (Cyclops-GT) and enable the transmission of large volumes of Earth observation (EO) data to the ground stations at a very high data rate.

 

“Our customers, who often operate sophisticated instruments that generate vast amounts of data, will reap the benefits of this technology.” said Dennis Moore, CCO of Reflex Aerospace. “We’re enabling the next generation of laser communication technology and pushing the boundaries of high pointing accuracy and stability, essential for our customers’ very high-resolution EO missions.”

 

The mission is expected to launch in early 2026. Reflex will enter a 12-month subscription with Odysseus for Cyclops LCaaS™ after the successful IOD.

 

“This partnership with Reflex Aerospace allows us to demonstrate not only the capabilities of our space terminal, but also the full scope of Cyclops™, our Laser Communication as a Service (LCaaS™) offering,” said Jordan Vannitsen, CEO of Odysseus Space. “With our subscription-based Cyclops™ plans, we’re lowering the barriers for satellite operators to adopt space to ground laser communication. Satellite operators and integrators can focus on their mission-critical tasks while we manage the entire communication pipeline when they sign up for this end-to-end solution that includes both the hardware and the data service. This mission will be a pivotal demonstration of how accessible and scalable laser communication can be.” 

 

By 2026, Reflex and Odysseus will be capable of providing customers with high-performance satellite platforms with space-to-ground laser communication capabilities. Interested customers can already pre-register for Cyclops™ today. 

 

Reflex Aerospace is currently awaiting the launch of its inaugural satellite SIGI, scheduled to launch on the SpaceX Transporter-12 rideshare mission.