ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications
@esaconnectivity.esa.int
Advancing space-based connectivity – bringing broadband to rural areas, supporting crisis response, enhancing cybersecurity, and connecting everyone, everywhere, at all times. Part of the European Space Agency @esa.int family.
🎥Movie streaming takes less than a second today thanks to decades of innovation in satellite broadcasting 📺 #OTD in 1984, the European Communications Satellite 2 launched aboard Ariane 3 flight V10, expanding sat comms and international TV across Europe🛰️🌍 @esa.int @eurospacehistory.bsky.social
We can't get enough of these stunning observatory images 🤩⚡️ More to come as @esa.int and the National Observatory of Athens sign a Memorandum of Intent to develop ground optical technologies in Greece, the essential Earth-based links connecting with satellites via laser comms 🇬🇷 Thread for more👇️
Are you ready to shape our programmes' strategy and communicate to various stakeholders?🤔 We have a job opening for a Programme and Strategy Coordinator within the Directorate of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, based in ESTEC (Netherlands). Details 👉️ jobs.esa.int/job/Noordwij...
🇱🇺 just upgraded international quantum-secure communications🔐 Developed under an @esa.int Partnership Project, the Optical Ground Station built by HITEC Luxembourg in a consortium led by Starion Luxembourg will help distribute quantum cryptographic keys through future international secure networks ⚛️
#ThisWeek in 2013, Alphasat (now called Inmarsat-4A F4) — then Europe's largest and most sophisticated telecoms satellite — was launched on Ariane 5 VA214 on 25 July from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. www.esa.int/Newsroom/Pre... @esaconnectivity.esa.int @esa.int @cnes.fr @transport.esa.int
Part of the ESA stand for the #Farnborough Air Show in 1980 promoting European communication satellites, with a list of satellites in orbit or under development at the time: OTS-2, ECS-1, Marecs A and L-Sat (Olympus), with live link TV monitors. #FIA2026 @esaconnectivity.esa.int
🤔How do we measure the impact of our programmes? Curious about this question as well? Apply for the Junior Professional in Market Intelligence role and investigate the relevance of our projects in resilience, navigation and connectivity 💪 🧭 📶 Deadline 28 July 2026: jobs.esa.int/job/Harwell-...
🌒 The first Moon landing over 50 years ago proved we could get there. The next step is making it easier to return and stay there. @esa.int's Moonlight is developing the communication and navigation infrastructure to make that possible 📶 🧭 #InternationalMoonDay resilience.esa.int/moonlight
🍁Happy Canada Day to our Cooperating State 🇨🇦 ESA recently signed a contract with Canadian satellite communications company Kepler to help advance Hydron - the 'fibre of the sky'⚡️ All for better connectivity on space thanks to optical communications www.esa.int/Applications...
What if you could impact the future of Direct-to-Device (D2D) communications?📱🚙 ESA is hiring a Mission Manager for our D2D projects 👇️ jobs.esa.int/job/Noordwij...
We wouldn't build cities on Earth without roads, comms and navigation. The same is true for the Moon🌒 ESA's Moonlight programme is creating the infrastructure that future lunar missions will rely on, laying the foundations for a sustainable presence beyond Earth🌍️ connectivity.esa.int/moonlight
🥵 Hot temperatures can lead to more wildfires🔥 How can satellite communications help emergency responders in these situations? www.esa.int/Applications...
#OTD in 1983, ECS‑1 launched aboard Ariane 1, Europe’s first step towards its own space-based communications 📶 From analogue signals to secure networks, the mission set the tone for Europe's present in space. Today, IRIS² builds on that legacy by reinforcing Europe’s autonomy in orbit 👁️ 🔐
Do you want to contribute to the future of mobile connectivity?📱 We are hiring a Procurement Coordinator for Direct-to-Device (D2D) projects at ESA. Interested? 🤔 👉️ jobs.esa.int/job/Noordwij...
Initially planned for one year, MDA Space's JoeySat marks its third year in orbit! 🥳 Built with support from @esa.int, @ukspaceagency.bsky.social and @eutelsat.bsky.social, JoeySat delivers flexible broadband anywhere with a 'hopping' beam, from busy summer festivals to airplanes💃 ✈️
How do you shape the future of satcom in space?🤔 You gather 300+ people from 30+ countries to connect, swap ideas and co-design how optical and quantum comms will work in orbit. Missed this year's ScyLight Conference? Here's the visual recap; maybe you'll join next year👀
🇪🇸We've officially wrapped up #ScyLight2026 in Tenerife, Spain! We are delighted to reveal that... ✨We welcomed 316 participants throughout the event ✨91% of you were from an ESA Member State, with 24% joining us from Spain.
Concluding the ‘Optical Space Segment‘ session, Regis Grasser, PhD (Bertin Group) is next on stage. #ScyLight2026
Miguel Ángel Piqueras Ruipérez (TECHNOBIT) is introducing the FANTASTIC project, supported under ESA's Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme. #ScyLight2026
Meanwhile, Dalius Petrulionis (Astrolight) is sharing his company's latest developments in inter-satellite link terminals, demonstrating how optical technologies are expanding connectivity capabilities across space architectures. #ScyLight2026
Julian Woicke (TESAT) will present TESAT's work on secure Optical Communication Terminals (OCTs), which will support multi-orbit connectivity and help to build the foundations of future space-based communication networks. #ScyLight2026
Our final session of #ScyLight2026 is being kicked off by Will Crowcombe (FSO Instruments) on the transition to volume production, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of scaling the manufacturing of optical communication terminals to meet growing market demand. #ScyLight2026
Frédéric Maes (MPB Communications) is closing the ‘Optical Perspectives‘ session, presenting developments in high-performance optical amplifiers, a key enabling technology for next-generation optical satellite communications and future high-throughput networks. #ScyLight2026
Torsten Bähr (Mynaric) is highlighting the importance of scalable optical connectivity to address the growing demand for high-capacity communications networks in space. #ScyLight2026
Alain Thomas (Safran) is concluding the Optical Ground Stations session with Novalink, a backbone node for optical communications within ESA’s SOLiS programme. It illustrates how integrated ground infrastructures will support future optical networks at scale. #ScyLight2026
Thierry Lanz (OGS Technologies) shares initial results from the LEO direct-to-Earth demonstration between CO3D/LASIN and FrOGS, highlighting operational advances in optical communications from orbit. #ScyLight2026
Sergio Salata of AVS presents results from the launch and detection of 532 nm polarised light from ESA’s Optical Ground Station. #ScyLight2026
Airbus are discussing how collaboration is key to realising effective quantum communication systems. #ScyLight2026
@airbus.com are now talking about TELEO, a world-first laser communications satellite that operates from GEO to ground in multiple directions. #ScyLight2026
TESAT has now taken to the stage, to reveal more about their work in laser communications. #ScyLight2026