SSC ground station. Photo: SSC.

The Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and BridgeSat announced a long-term partnership under which BridgeSat will install satellite optical communications equipment at a number of SSC’s established Radio Frequency (RF) ground sites.

SSC owns and operates a global network of ground stations to provide secure and reliable access to satellites seeking RF services. BridgeSat is developing a global optical communications network that will offer secure delivery of data from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites at fast speeds and low cost. The partnership creates incentives for the two companies to cooperate commercially for the benefit of their customers in leveraging their respective capabilities in optical and RF satellite communication solutions.

“Optical communications is well suited when satellite operators need to downlink large quantities of data, but have limited access to RF spectrum. BridgeSat is a perfect partner for us, as they are developing a commercial optical communications system we feel fits well with our mission,” said Leif Osterbo, SSC’s president of satellite management services.