A rendering of a side to side comparison between CONDOR Mk2 (left) and CONDOR Mk3 (right) optical communications terminal. Photo: Mynaric

Japanese space startup Warpspace has signed an order for a small number of Mynaric Condor Mk3 terminals. Warpspace plans to use the terminals to establish a commercial optical data relay network for Earth observation satellites. Product delivery is scheduled for 2023, 2024, and 2025. 

“Warpspace is building a highly capable optical data relay network in space to solve today’s communication bottleneck experienced by Earth observation satellites that need to transmit huge amounts of data to the ground in near real-time,” said Hiromitsu Azuma, COO of Warpspace. “We are happy to have found with Mynaric’s Condor product a suitable solution for our laser communications needs, as well as the needs of our customers. We look forward to receiving the units for subsequent satellite integration and launch.”

Warpspace plans to build a high-speed optical laser communications network in 2024 and 2025 that it says will enable users to obtain satellite data within 30 minutes.

This is Mynaric’s first order from a customer based in Japan. The Condor terminal has previously been selected by Northrop Grumman for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Tracking Layer and the Tranche 1 Transport Layer programs, by Capella Space for commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, and by Telesat for the DARPA Blackjack program.