General Atomics from the US and Kepler Communications from Canada have successfully tested high-speed laser communication between an aircraft and a satellite.
This achievement is an effective step towards creating secure and fast data connections for military and commercial users.
A General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) Optical Communication Terminal (OCT) was tested on a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter plane.
It is connected to a Kepler satellite located in low Earth orbit. The satellite was almost 3,400 miles away and is compatible with the US Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 0 architecture.
The system transmitted data at up to 1 gigabit per second, validating a key element of the Pentagon’s proliferated space network.
World’s first air-to-space laser link
“By pairing Kepler’s on-orbit optical capabilities with GA-EMS’ OCT, we’ve shown what’s possible when space and aviation systems work seamlessly together,” said Robert Conrad, president of Kepler US.
“This reinforces how commercial space operators will be partners in delivering secure, high-throughput connectivity for the defense community and the broader commercial sector.”
Optical communications, already the backbone of terrestrial fiber-optic networks, are far more challenging in free space.
Transmitting data from a moving platform in Earth’s atmosphere to a high-speed receiver in orbit requires precise pointing, acquisition, tracking, and lock.
General Atomics mounted its 10-watt OCT in a 12-inch Laser Airborne Communication Turret (LAC-12) developed by its Aeronautical Systems division for precision pointing.
According to GA-EMS, the OCT is designed to handle distances up to 5,500 kilometers (2,970 nautical miles) with maximum data rates of 2.5 gigabits per second.
In this initial proof-of-concept, the transmission distance was much shorter, but the test verified secure uplink and downlink capability and proved interoperability between hardware from different vendors.
“Our OCT is designed to close a communications gap, enabling secure, robust data transfers to support tactical and operational missions,” said Scott Forney, GA-EMS president.
“The airborne OCT completed pointing, acquisition, tracking, and lock with the Tranche 0-compatible satellite, then transferred data packets to validate uplink and downlink capability.”
From sky to space
The SDA is building a proliferated low-Earth-orbit constellation to provide resilient global connectivity for military forces.
The agency has issued an optical communications standard that allows systems from multiple contractors to interoperate, which officials say is critical to building a distributed, survivable architecture.
“This successful space-airborne communication demonstration represents a breakthrough improvement in building a resilient space architecture,” said Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo, SDA deputy director.
“Achieving multi-vendor interoperability validates SDA’s leadership in the optical communication arena.”
General Atomics has already built two additional OCT systems under a separate SDA contract that will fly on GA-75 spacecraft launching in 2026.
Those demonstrations are expected to test Tranche 1 satellite compatibility and expand airborne-to-space optical links across multiple domains.
For its part, Kepler is fielding an SDA-compatible low-Earth-orbit constellation designed to provide high-capacity data services and validate advanced communication technologies under mission-critical conditions.
The Pathfinder satellites bridge space, air, and ground networks for defense and commercial applications.
Industry officials say the successful test shows how optical communications can deliver secure, jam-resistant, high-data-rate connectivity in environments where radiofrequency links are contested or congested, a capability increasingly important to the Pentagon as it seeks to link sensors, shooters, and command systems across domains.