A rendering of a satellite with Mynaric laser communication terminals. Photo: Mynaric

The Space Development Agency (SDA) selected Mynaric for an optical ground terminal demonstration set for 2025. The demonstration announced Tuesday, will focus on connecting various space-based optical communications terminals and an optical ground station designed by Mynaric. 

The program will serve as risk reduction for follow-on demonstrations between the optical ground station and satellites in the Tranche 0 Transport Layer.

Mynaric’s laser terminals have been selected by manufacturers working on a number of SDA contracts — Northrop Grumman for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer and Tracking Layer; Loft Federal for the SDA’s Experimental Testbed (NExT); and Raytheon for the SDA’s Tranche 1 Tracking Layer program.

“The collaboration with the SDA marks a significant milestone in advancing laser communications technology and paves the way for enhanced connectivity in the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture,” said Joachim Horwath, MynaricCTO . “The ground station will play an important role in delivering high throughput and communication resiliency to the SDA network.”