Kepler Communications’ LEO network. Photo: Kepler Communications

Kepler Communications has selected Tesat-Spacecom optical inter-satellite links for its next generation of satellites. The Tesat constellation laser communication terminals, ConLCT80, will be installed on Kepler’s first tranche of Aether satellites, Kepler announced Wednesday. 

Kepler is building a network for on-orbit communications in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), to provide internet for assets in space. The company said its next-generation of satellites will provide data on-demand at up to 2.5 Gbps for the end user. Customers include Spire Global and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Tesat provides optical communication terminals for four different U.S. spacecraft primes in support of the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Transport Layer and Tracking Layer, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Blackjack program. The company recently announced plans to build a manufacturing facility in the U.S. to meet demand from U.S. government and commercial customers. 

“This is a major milestone in the design and development of our second generation of satellites and future Kepler Network,” said Wen Cheng Chong, Kepler CTO. “Tesat’s optical inter-satellite links bring us one step closer to our mission of bringing the internet to space; amplifying mission communications and ensuring data can be received in real-time, all the time.”