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A laser communication link to be demonstrated between a LEO satellite and the PHOENIX 2 spacecraft during re-entry. Source: ATMOS Space Cargo. Background elements generated using AI-enabled tools.

The companies plan to demonstrate real-time optical transmission of system and payload data between a re-entry vehicle and an orbiting satellite, advancing high-speed connectivity for Europe’s independent cargo-return capabilities.

Astrolight, a Lithuanian space and defense company developing laser communication solutions across space, ground, and maritime domains, and ATMOS Space Cargo, a European company developing space return logistics, have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly demonstrate what they aim to make the first in-flight optical communications link between a re-entry spacecraft and an orbiting satellite. The demonstration is planned for 2027.

During the mission, Astrolight’s ATLAS-X laser communication terminals are planned to fly onboard both ATMOS’ PHOENIX re-entry vehicle and the satellite used for the test to demonstrate a spacecraft-to-satellite optical link, enabling real-time transfer of system and mission data during in-orbit operations and re-entry at up to a 2.5 Gbps rate. 

Operational schematic of the joint demonstration involving LEO satellites, the PHOENIX 2 re-entry vehicle, and ground mission control. Source: ATMOS Space Cargo.

Cargo re-entry missions are opening new commercial opportunities, from returning scientific samples, in-orbit manufactured products, and critical hardware to supporting defence, Earth observation, disaster response, and future in-space logistics. As these missions become more frequent, maintaining real-time, reliable communications throughout atmospheric re-entry is becoming increasingly important, especially in cases when conventional radio-frequency telemetry degrades. For ATMOS, real-time optical downlink is built into the PHOENIX system architecture to establish a continuous data channel through the re-entry phase, giving insight into vehicle health, guidance, de-orbit performance, and payload data before the vehicle is physically recovered – opening a path towards routine, autonomous return operations.

Laser communication is well-suited to provide the real-time and reliable connectivity these missions require. Its narrow, focused beams can transmit data at rates up to 100 times higher than traditional radio frequency and are far more difficult to jam, intercept, or detect.

“Testing a laser link between PHOENIX and an orbiting satellite will mark an important first for re-entry communications. Until now, this capability has only been explored in ground-based laboratory conditions. Together with ATMOS Space Cargo, we are bringing it into space,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “Our goal is to help re-entry vehicles connect directly with satellites and, in the future, satellite constellations, so operators can access as much data as possible in real time and make missions more controlled and scalable. Laser links also make communications harder to interfere with or intercept – a major advantage for both commercial and defence missions.”

Astrolight’s ATLAS-X terminal is a compact, low-SWaP (size, weight, and power) optical communication terminal designed for high-speed data transfer on missions where onboard space, mass, and power are limited. For re-entry vehicles such as PHOENIX, where communications equipment must compete with payloads and core mission systems, this form factor is critical to integrating optical connectivity without placing significant additional demands on the spacecraft.

“ATMOS is working to give Europe independent and routine commercial access to return from space,” said Sebastian Klaus, CEO of ATMOS Space Cargo. “As cargo-return missions grow more autonomous and data-intensive, real-time connectivity across the entire mission cycle is becoming increasingly important. Our partnership with Astrolight is a step toward integrating laser communication into PHOENIX as a strategic layer for payload monitoring, autonomous de-orbit, and re-entry operations.”

Europe currently relies on international partners to transport cargo to and from low Earth orbit, contributing technology and services in exchange for access. As the space sector becomes more commercialized, Europe is working to build its own cargo-return capabilities, including through ESA’s LEO Cargo Return Services Initiative, which aims to reduce reliance on international partners for bringing payloads back from orbit.

Astrolight’s and ATMOS Space Cargo’s partnership is expected to mark an important step toward integrating laser communication into future cargo-return missions, giving operators and payload customers faster access to in-flight data while supporting Europe’s push for independent and scalable space return logistics.

Astrolight will represent Lithuania at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, competing for a US$1 million investment prize as laser communication becomes a core technology for next-generation satellite networks.

June, 2026 – Vilnius, Lithuania. Astrolight, a Lithuanian space and defense company developing laser communication solutions for space, ground, and maritime applications, has won the Lithuanian regional competition of the Startup World Cup, the world’s leading startup pitch contest. The company will head to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco on November 6, 2026, and compete with finalists from around the world for the title of global champion and a US$1 million investment prize.

Earlier, Astrolight secured contracts and partnerships with the European Space Agency (ESA), industry primes, and leading satellite manufacturers. The company has launched three of its ATLAS-1 laser terminals into orbit for testing, joined a Kepler Communications-led team developing ESA’s HydRON optical multi-orbit transport network, and is working with ESA to build the first Arctic optical ground station in Greenland.

“Representing Lithuania at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale is an important milestone for Astrolight as we enter our next stage of growth,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “Laser communication is becoming critical for the space economy, and our focus on integrated systems for both space and ground gives us a strong position in a market expected to reach billions of dollars over the coming decade.”

Novaspace, the leading space market research firm, projects global revenues for space laser communication terminals will reach $12.9 billion through 2035, driven by the industry’s structural shift away from radio-frequency (RF) communications as operators face mounting RF spectrum constraints: regulatory scrutiny, licensing delays, and interference bottlenecks. 

Similar pressure is now reaching AI infrastructure. As land-based datacenters run into limits around space, power, and cooling, industry leaders are starting to look at putting datacenters and compute systems in orbit, with high-speed laser communications as a core infrastructure layer.

“Because satellite constellations grow and missions expand across Earth observation, defense, emergency response, and future AI infrastructure in orbit, the need to move data between space and Earth is rising fast. Traditional radio-frequency communications alone will soon struggle to keep pace – on both the technological and regulatory level,” explained Mačiulis. “Laser links will close that gap. Much like optical fiber transformed the internet, laser communication will transform space communications in terms of data volumes and speed.”

Unlike radio-frequency communication, laser links use narrow and focused beams of infrared light, which can transmit data at up to 100 times faster rates than RF and are extremely resilient to electronic interference, jamming, and interception. 

Incidents of electronic warfare in space and on land are growing. Russian GPS spoofing from Kaliningrad can now reach 450 km into Europe, GPS/AIS interference has surged in the Middle East Gulf, and Russia has been accused of intercepting European satellite communications and regularly jamming UK military satellites.

“The current geopolitical situation shows how vulnerable satellite communications can be, especially when they depend solely on radio-frequency. That’s why for defense users and commercial operators alike, resilient connectivity is becoming a matter of strategic advantage,” added Mačiulis. “In such an environment, laser communication should not be limited to a small number of highly specialized missions. Smaller, cost-efficient, and interoperable terminals can make optical links more accessible, helping more operators secure their communications in space. That’s what we’re aiming for at Astrolight.”

Startup World Cup is a global startup competition and conference organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based multinational venture capital firm. The competition includes more than 100 regional events across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, followed by the Grand Finale in Silicon Valley.

As Europe invests billions into sovereign space infrastructure, industry leaders warn that long-term autonomy will depend on one overlooked capability: optical connectivity.

July, 2026. The recent European Commission’s move to prioritise European operators in future spectrum allocation, the development of Europe’s IRIS² constellation, and Germany’s planned €35 billion investment in defence space capabilities are all part of Europe’s strategic push to reduce its reliance on foreign space services.

Experts argue, however, that building infrastructure is only part of the challenge: for sovereign space networks to remain competitive, they have to utilize optical communication. 

“If Starlink remains the only widely available commercial space network using optical communications, European operators will inevitably turn to it for superior speeds and data security. Optical data transfer stopped being a next-gen technology for specialized missions and is now becoming a matter of strategic and market advantage,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “This is especially relevant as data and connectivity workloads become more demanding and time-sensitive, with mega-constellations, growing defense use of space, and plans for orbital AI datacenters driving this trend.”

According to Novaspace, global satellite connectivity demand will increase more than 11 times between 2024 and 2034. At the same time, less than 10% of all data generated in orbit currently reaches Earth, largely because of limited downlink bandwidth and scarce spectrum availability in conventional communication systems.

Optical communication addresses both constraints. Unlike traditional radio frequency communication, it uses narrow and highly focused beams of light that enable up to 100 times higher data transmission rates and make links harder to detect, jam, or intercept. Laser communication can also reduce dependence on congested radio frequency spectrum, where operators face regulatory scrutiny, licensing delays, and interference bottlenecks.

Europe is already moving in the direction of optical connectivity. IRIS², a planned European sovereign satellite constellation, is expected to use optical inter-satellite links, while HydRON is planned as a multi-orbit optical data transport network. But experts say a gap may remain between programme-level optical capability and wider commercial use.

“IRIS² and HydRON are important steps, but for optical communication to move from individual programmes to a comprehensive and resilient communications backbone, Europe must also build the industrial and commercial layer around them: proliferated inter-satellite optical links, optical ground stations, and user-segment technologies at scale,” said Dalius Petrulionis, CTO of Astrolight. “This infrastructure will enable real-time, secure data transfer from space to ground, supporting faster decision-making and emergency response, stronger defence capabilities, and commercial services with higher operational and economic value. It is a critical step for Europe to establish a competitive and autonomous presence in space for years to come.”

In its March 2026 report, Building a European Competitive Edge in Space, the Centre for European Policy Studies argued that Europe has a highly capable but dispersed space ecosystem that still struggles to scale and compete in areas such as satellite manufacturing and secure connectivity. 

“Europe already has the talent and strong technical foundations to lead in optical communication,” said Mačiulis. “The next step is making sure that, as Europe’s sovereign space architecture scales, the optical communication layer scales with it. That is how European critical and commercial users can get a competitive alternative to foreign space connectivity services.”

In April 2026, Astrolight joined a Kepler Communications-led team to provide its ATLAS-X laser communication terminal for ESA’s HydRON, set to become the world’s first all-optical, multi-orbit communications network connecting space and Earth. Designed to support applications such as 6G connectivity and resilience missions, HydRON aims to advance secure, high-capacity space communications and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in next-generation connectivity infrastructure.

Astrolight contributes laser communication terminal technology to ESA’s HydRON Element 3 mission, led by prime contractor Kepler Communications.

Kepler Communications, a Canadian satellite telecommunications provider operating the first commercial optical data relay constellation, is leading a group of industry partners, including Astrolight, a Lithuanian space and defense technology company developing laser communication solutions for space, ground, and maritime applications. The companies have been awarded a multimillion-euro contract under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) High-throughput Optical Network (HydRON) to develop HydRON’s user-terminal segment, known as Element 3. HydRON is a project under ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – Scylight programme, within the Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES). Led by Kepler as the spacecraft provider and mission operator, Astrolight will provide its latest-generation ATLAS-X laser communication terminal for hybrid optical links across LEO, GEO, and ground.

The HydRON project aims to demonstrate the world’s first optical multi-orbit transport network in space, extending high-capacity, fibre-like connectivity into orbit and bolstering the resilience of European communications infrastructure through a secure, high-capacity, and interoperable optical data relay network. 

HydRON’s Element 3 mission focuses on demonstrating the applications of laser communication technology within the user segment by creating a testing environment in real operating conditions. In the long term, it is intended to enable external commercial optical users to connect to the HydRON network and route their data through it. 

As part of the mission, Astrolight’s ATLAS-X laser communication terminal will be hosted aboard a Kepler satellite for in-orbit demonstration. The mission will validate inter-satellite and space-to-ground links in LEO and attempt multi-orbit links between LEO and GEO. Following the demonstration, ATLAS-X will serve as a data relay node, enabling the Kepler spacecraft to connect with other elements of the HydRON network.

“Working with Kepler on HydRON Element 3 gives us a valuable opportunity to validate ATLAS-X in orbit and bring customers closer to a terminal that supports high-capacity and secure data transmission through next-generation optical communication networks,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “As space becomes central to global infrastructure, supporting everything from telecommunications and national security to future in-orbit data centers, the need for optical connectivity will continue to grow.”

“HydRON will serve as the world’s first multi-orbital optical communications network with a terabit per second capacity, offering resilient and efficient data transfer to address the challenges of bringing connectivity to multiple users securely, quickly, and reliably,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity. “Today’s signature with Kepler Communications continues our collaboration on the project, as they contribute their expertise in concert with their consortium to deliver Element 3; the component of HydRON that’s key to building new industrial capabilities, demonstrating new service concepts, fostering system extensions, and promoting international cooperation and interoperability.”

ATLAS-X is Astrolight’s next-generation low-SWaP (size, weight, and power) laser communication terminal, building on the company’s earlier ATLAS-1 and ATLAS-2 solutions. It is designed for both space-to-space and space-to-ground links and features a coarse pointing assembly, offering greater operational flexibility and easier deployment across a wider range of spacecraft. ATLAS-X is compatible with a subset of the ESA Specification for Terabit/sec Optical Links (ESTOL) standard and is SDA-compatible.

“As Kepler works with ESA to advance next-generation optical communications infrastructure in space, interoperable and low-SWaP terminals such as ATLAS-X will play a key role in opening these networks to a broader range of users,” said Mina Mitry, CEO and Co-founder at Kepler.

As hostile jamming in the Baltic Sea and beyond intensifies, Naval Group and Astrolight sign a letter of intent to collaborate. This opens opportunities for Astrolight’s jam-resistant technology to strengthen the capabilities of Lithuanian and European defense at sea. 

On December 3, French shipbuilding giant Naval Group and Lithuanian space-tech company Astrolight signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU marks the beginning of a collaboration between the two companies to test Astrolight’s POLARIS laser terminal on Naval Group’s vessels, exploring the potential for future integration of the technology. The partnership comes as Naval Group works to design a new multi-purpose vessel for the Lithuanian Navy, with plans to equip the ship with POLARIS. 

“With the growing threat of electronic warfare at sea, especially in the Baltic, Europe needs ships that can operate reliably in these challenging conditions,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “Our interference-resilient laser technology, already successfully tested by NATO and the Lithuanian Navy, provides a secure way to communicate in the most challenging environments. Working with the Naval Group is an exciting step towards establishing laser-based communication as a new standard in European naval security.”

Laser communication uses narrow, focused light beams that are nearly impossible to interfere with and detect. This new technology complements today’s cutting-edge technologies by mitigating risks associated with communication security, bandwidth, and data rate.

“We’re excited to have Astrolight on board for the Lithuanian Navy’s new ship,” said Simon Blanc, International Procurement and Cooperation Manager at Naval Group. “Together, we aim to provide Lithuania with a comprehensive, jam-resistant communication solution for the Baltic Sea and strengthen European defense capabilities.”

The new Multi-Purpose Offshore Patrol Vessel developed by Naval Group is designed to be versatile, capable of adapting quickly to changing mission needs. It can be used for combat, transport, launching unmanned aerial vehicles, and even converting into a floating hospital in an emergency.

The MoU between Naval Group and Astrolight was signed at the Lithuanian Maritime Defence Industry Days in Vilnius, where Naval Group, Belgium Naval & Robotics, and Exail showcased their vision for a new ship tailored to the needs of the Lithuanian Navy. The event was organized by the Lithuanian Engineering and Technology Industry Association.

This year, Astrolight’s POLARIS laser terminal was successfully tested with the Lithuanian Navy, as well as at NATO’s REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger, the largest exercise focusing on maritime unmanned systems in the world, and NATO’s largest military exercise in Latvia, DiBax. There, Astrolight demonstrated jam-proof, undetectable, and high-bandwidth ship-to-ship and land-to-land laser-based communication links.

Astrolight’s POLARIS terminal has been tested during DiBax, NATO’s largest military exercise in Latvia, transmitting data during harsh weather conditions on land. In October, the company’s terminal was successfully tested at REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger, the largest exercise focusing on maritime unmanned systems in the world.Lithuanian space and defense tech company Astrolight has successfully demonstrated undetectable and unjammable laser-based communication and data transmission with its POLARIS terminal during NATO’s latest exercise. It was held in Latvia, on NATO’s Eastern flank, highlighting how the latest technologies can enhance battlefield capabilities in the region.

The exercise, called Digital Backbone Experimentation (DiBaX), took place from October 27 to November 7, at a Latvian Ādaži military base and virtually across the Alliance.

Astrolight placed two POLARIS laser terminals on land, operating continuously throughout all 9 days of the exercise, including in rain and fog. During the tests, POLARIS successfully demonstrated interoperability with military communication infrastructure, connecting a military base to an ad-hoc remote command post.

“As GPS-jamming and interference cases are rising in NATO territories, military communication is becoming a full-scale battlefield. DiBaX demonstrated that our technology can provide the speed, volume, and security of data transmission needed for modern tactical operations on land, which traditional communication methods struggle to support,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, the CEO of Astrolight.

Currently, many military operations rely on radio frequencies (RF) for communication. However, radio has key limitations, such as low data transmission speeds and being susceptible to jamming. RF emissions can also be easily detected, revealing the position of military units.

The Baltic region is experiencing near-daily electronic warfare pressure, with GPS and RF jamming originating from Russia and the Kaliningrad region intensifying in recent months. 

While the Eastern flank is among the most affected areas, these incidents are no longer isolated – similar jamming events have been reported across Europe, the Middle East, and other global hotspots, underscoring the growing need for communication systems that remain operational in contested, RF-denied environments.

In contrast, laser communications tested by Astrolight cannot be jammed using conventional electronic warfare equipment, and can transmit data at up to 100 times faster data rates than RF. 

“We’ve also showcased that laser communications can deliver consistent and reliable data transmission despite harsh weather conditions: fog, rain, and wind,” Mačiulis said. “To meet demanding NATO requirements, we made POLARIS compact, as well as easy to install and deploy across military units and vehicles in sea, land, air, and space operations.”  

Astrolight successfully tested POLARIS for ship-to-ship communications at the REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger exercise, led by the Portuguese Navy and NATO, respectively,  and with the Lithuanian Navy.

DiBaX was led by NATO Allied Command Transformation and the Latvian Ministry of Defence, hosted by Latvian Mobile Telephone. The exercise focused on the use of unmanned systems in complex operational environments and applications of artificial intelligence.

In recent months, Latvia and other European NATO members, including Lithuania, Poland, and Belgium, have been monitoring and responding to a series of drone incursions coming from Russia, raising concerns about security in the region.

• Astrolight will build the next-generation optical ground station in Greenland to transform satellite connectivity.
• Fast, secure laser data transfer will address key Arctic needs, including search and rescue, disaster management, and enhanced regional security.
• As military activity in regions like Svalbard rises, the OGS will enhance European communications resilience and sovereignty.

Astrolight, a pioneer in laser-based telecommunication systems, has begun building its first Optical Ground Station (OGS) in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, in partnership with the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications. The project, funded under ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme, marks the northernmost station of its kind and the first established in Greenland. The new OGS will be equipped with advanced laser communication technology, enabling the transfer of data from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites at higher data rates and more cost-effectively than traditional radio frequency (RF) ground stations. 

Greenland was strategically selected to ensure high frequency of satellite connections, as most Earth observation satellites (EOS) in all orbital paths fly over the Arctic region. The new facility, expected to be completed by the end of 2026, will serve as a crucial node between satellites orbiting Earth’s polar region and ground-based data networks. By shifting from RF to laser technology, this station will deliver more than 10 times the data throughput at over 70% lower cost per gigabyte compared to the commonly used RF ground stations, according to Astrolight CEO Laurynas Mačiulis. Operators of satellite constellations are currently able to relay less than 30% of the data produced by modern remote sensing instruments, an issue exacerbated by a projected 190% increase in launched Earth observation satellites over the next decade. 

“Astrolight will be the first company to offer a commercially viable, high-throughput optical space-to-Earth data link for micro and small satellites,” says Mačiulis. “This is a pivotal development for industries that process and make decisions based on large quantities of satellite data, from commercial companies to climate researchers. For Astrolight, the station marks a major step toward our goal of building a global optical network.”

Faster data transfer for earth observation and emergency response

The Greenland Optical Ground Station will primarily serve customers in telecommunications and Earth Observation, including space agencies, governmental institutions, and commercial satellite operators focused on collecting optical, hyperspectral, radar, and infrared imaging data. With this new station, they can downlink terabytes of data from satellites much faster and more reliably than with radio-frequency stations. For example, what previously took over four hours to offload via an RF connection can now be accomplished within the short window a satellite is visible in the station’s range, opening the possibility for faster decision-making.

This speed is particularly relevant for industrial data users and those involved in safety-critical sectors. For example, faster transfers will help organizations track environmental conditions such as glacier movement or ship traffic in the Arctic, where time-sensitive information can guide search and rescue operations. Scientific projects depending on high-volume remote sensing, such as those monitoring natural disasters like oil spills and wildfires, will also benefit from improved access to large imaging datasets. 

“Fast and secure optical data transmission is essential for keeping up with the rising data demands from next-generation satellites, while enhancing ground infrastructures enables operators and policymakers to improve crucial services for when our users need them most,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications. With this project, we’re continuing to answer to European safety and security needs by transforming connectivity and secure communications from high latitudes. We look forward to further milestones with Astrolight, while further enhancing the resilience and sovereignty of our Member States.”

Enhancing regional resilience and digital sovereignty

The opening of an Optical Ground Station in Greenland will also add layers of resilience to the Arctic’s communication infrastructure, a key concern amidst increasing military activity in the region. Recent incidents like the severing of the Svalbard fiber-optic cable have highlighted the kind of vulnerabilities in current data transfer methods that optical ground stations mitigate. In this context, the Astrolight’s OGS in Greenland will provide necessary redundancy for the Arctic region, providing alternative communication pathways and more resilient links that can withstand both radio frequency interference and interruptions to undersea cables. 

Astrolight also plans to integrate multiple backup distribution channels using LEO and GEO satellite relays, strengthening the overall reliability of space-to-ground data connections in the Arctic.

“The optical ground station in Greenland will bring near real-time, high-resolution satellite data directly within reach of Arctic Command and Greenlandic authorities, improving search and rescue reliability, disaster detection, and critical infrastructure management,” says Peter Stensgård Hansen, Managing Director for Astrolight Denmark. “By situating the facility in Greenland’s Arctic desert, which is often free from interfering cloud cover, we can ensure consistent performance, strengthening communication security for the region as a whole.”

Astrolight’s commitment to building a resilient and secure optical network underscores the increasing need for efficient space-to-Earth data links that support a wide range of applications crucial to environmental monitoring, safety, and regional security in the Arctic and beyond.

At NATO’s largest unmanned maritime exercise, Astrolight’s POLARIS laser communication termial kept a jam-proof ship-to-ship link through rain and fog over horizon-limited distances, proving a secure, undetectable solution for radio-silent, GPS-denied environments.

Lithuanian space and defense tech company Astrolight has successfully demonstrated undetectable, unjammable, and high-bandwidth laser-based ship-to-ship communication with its POLARIS terminal during REPMUS’25, NATO’s largest unmanned maritime exercise recently.

During the REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems)/Dynamic Messenger mission, hosted by the Portuguese Navy, POLARIS laser terminals maintained a stable, jam-proof horizon-limited laser-based link between two vessels: NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida and NRP Dom Carlos I. During testing, the link wasn’t detected by a single sensor of other participating ships, drones, and land assets.

“With persistent and rising GPS jamming attacks in NATO territories, we needed to test it in real-life conditions as soon as possible. Exercise results showed that our laser technology is a reliable and operable alternative to radio frequency-based communication – now it’s time to scale,” said Dalius Petrulionis, CTO and co-founder of Astrolight, who led POLARIS’ testing at sea.

Astrolight’s terminals also transmitted gigabytes of data at latencies and speeds that allow for more than 10 concurrent, real-time HD video streams, even through rain and fog, during the day and night.

“Astrolight team spent two weeks living and working with the Portuguese Navy aboard two of their ship fleets, installing their POLARIS laser terminals. They established undetectable ship-to-ship laser communications, exceeding their initial targets by 200%, and proving that first-time experiments can go better than planned when the technology is well-developed,” NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) shared on its socials.

Jamming is a serious problem at sea because it can distort satellite navigation, confuse radar and ship-tracking displays, and interrupt radio and satellite communications. In such cases, crews switch to less secure backup methods like noisy radio or signal lamps that increase a ship’s electromagnetic signature and make it easier to detect.

“Participating in REPMUS, NATO’s largest naval exercise, marks an important milestone for innovators within the NATO DIANA programme. It is the perfect opportunity for these companies to demonstrate the value their solutions can provide in an operational context, while also making the most of end-user insights and feedback as they move closer to adoption and deployment. We were proud to see six different DIANA innovators participating this year, including Astrolight, and we are confident that they will all rise to the challenge. Their technologies exemplify the kind of innovation DIANA was created to support – cutting-edge technologies with real operational potential, positioned to deliver real-world impact,” said James Appathurai, Managing Director at NATO DIANA.

The demonstration of Astrolight’s POLARIS in Portugal builds on prior tests with the Lithuanian Navy.

NATO’s REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger exercise combines REPMUS, the top event for maritime robotics and unmanned tech, and Dynamic Messenger, a program for testing innovative naval systems. They bring together NATO Allies, partners, academia, and industry experts, and provide a realistic setting to evaluate new maritime capabilities and promote their integration into NATO operations.

“Every technological breakthrough was once an innovation in testing. Running ours alongside NATO in a real, tactical setting proves that we already have top-tier defense tech. The REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger exercise is an important milestone on our path to delivering resilient, jam-resistant communications to NATO’s Navy in these turbulent times for national security,” concluded Dalius Petrulionis.

For the first time, Astrolight will demonstrate its new-gen ATLAS-2 optical terminal in orbit under the European Commission’s CASSINI programme. The mission will test space-to-space laser links designed for faster, on-demand connectivity to further strengthen national and civil security in space. 

The European Commission (EC) has selected an optical terminal ATLAS-2 for an In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation (IOD/IOV) mission under its CASSINI programme. The terminal was developed by Astrolight, a Lithuanian company that builds laser communication systems for secure links in space and on the ground.

ATLAS-2 is an evolution of Astrolight’s earlier terminal, ATLAS-1, which provided secure space-to-Earth laser-based links. Now, ATLAS-2 expands its capabilities by adding space-to-space communication alongside space-to-ground links. The demonstration will take place on board a satellite provided by Kongsberg NanoAvionics.

“This mission is a huge step for space connectivity,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “ATLAS-2 makes it possible for satellites to communicate both directly and with ground stations as intermediaries. This allows real-time connectivity between spacecraft, crucial for national security and civil uses like disaster response, where every second counts.”

When using ground stations, continuous connectivity is challenging to maintain, Mačiulis explains. As satellites are constantly moving, they periodically lose sight of one ground station and must connect to the next one in view. However, the coverage of the stations is limited: they can only be built on suitable land and with access to power. On top of the geographic limits, operators face availability constraints and often need to negotiate access to foreign or commercial sites. 

ATLAS-2 overcomes these issues by combining space-to-space and space-to-Earth laser links in one terminal. This dual capability gives operators a single, secure solution for continuous, real-time connectivity, enabling fast data relay to decision makers and leveraging space communication infrastructure built by Canadian and European players. An example of such infrastructure is the Kepler Network, a real-time optical backbone that links satellites together and to Earth. 

“Aside from that, we’re huge advocates of space decentralization. You know what happens when everything gets in one hand, and we can’t risk it with our national security and safety,” Mačiulis noted. “ATLAS-2 provides a long-needed choice.” 

Beyond faster data transmission and decentralization, the terminal enhances the security of links by using laser communication rather than traditional radio frequencies. 

“Radio frequency-based communication is inherently less secure, slower, and increasingly prone to signal congestion and interference,” explained Mačiulis. “Laser links are immune to jamming because their narrow, focused beams give little opportunity for interference.”

To bring its advantages into practice, ATLAS-2 complies with European Standards for Optical Links, which also cover alignment with U.S. Space Development Agency protocols. This allows the system to work with both European and U.S. optical satellite networks.

The CASSINI programme, funded by the EC, provides support for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises in the European space sector. Through initiatives such as IOD/IOV missions, the programme helps companies to test and validate technologies in space and contributes to the development of Europe’s space industry.

Earlier this year, Astrolight’s optical ground station HERMES was named one of the winners of the CASSINI Challenges Product Track, receiving an award in recognition of its contribution to secure optical communications. On top of the development of ATLAS-2, HERMES will already be installed and tested with the first customers within the next year. 

“We are glad to be demonstrating and validating our technologies alongside European Commission programs, especially during the difficult times that the EU is currently facing. With this project, we will streamline the integration of space-to-space communication, showcasing how it could support national security for a future that’s safe for all of us,” Mačiulis said.

The Baltics are facing a wave of electronic interference that disrupts navigation and communications. In Ukraine, ground-based systems are now powerful enough to degrade signals in space. Experts warn that multiple threats, from jamming on the ground to attacks on satellites, make laser communication technology essential.

GPS jamming is no longer just a problem in war zones. On August 12, Latvia’s Electronic Communications Office confirmed that Russia is disrupting satellite navigation systems from three permanent sites in Kaliningrad, Leningrad, and Pskov Oblasts, creating widespread risks for civil aviation and critical infrastructure across the Baltic Sea region.

The agency described the issue as a “growing problem” that has outgrown national borders, forcing pilots to rely on fallback navigation methods and even grounding flights. Estonian ministers have previously called the interference a “deliberate hybrid attack” reaching into everyday life.

According to space industry experts from Astrolight, a space-tech startup from Lithuania that develops laser communication solutions for space and Earth, we need to put our focus on jamming-resistant technology.

“The Baltics are on the frontline of electronic warfare, and this could spread to other regions soon,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “Satellites, navigation, and communications are experiencing regular attacks. We need jamming-resistant technology now – and it must be addressed across Europe, not just locally.”

Traditionally, GPS jamming was considered a localized threat, disrupting signals for aircraft or ground forces. But in July 2025, reports from Ukraine disclosed that Russian systems are now powerful enough to interfere with GPS signals over 1,200 miles above ground, causing satellites in low-Earth orbit to lose navigation accuracy. Experts say this is the first widely reported case of ground-based systems interfering with satellites directly.

UN agencies warn that ground-based jamming now threatens military operations, disrupts airline navigation, and interferes with maritime shipping. Civilian infrastructure, from power grids to banking systems that rely on GPS timing, is also at risk, exposing how vulnerable conventional radio-frequency (RF)  links are to high-power interference.

The European Space Agency is dealing with the issue by investing €1 billion in a new military-grade satellite network. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys is pushing for stronger EU-wide coordination to counter Russian hybrid attacks, including electronic warfare that now reaches into space.

“Russia’s hybrid and total war strategy in Europe is clear – from attacks on Ukraine to sabotage in Germany, disruption of Baltic communication lines, and ongoing interference in political processes across the region,” said Kęstutis Budrys, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. “These actions show that hybrid threats are happening now, and we must respond with higher investments and even stronger technology.”

The risks extend beyond political and physical infrastructure, according to Mačiulis. 

“We believe that Earth observation is most crucial to protect. In warzones and global hot-spots, EO satellites provide real-time intelligence on troop movements and monitor critical infrastructure. The events in the Baltics and Ukraine show that satellites and communication systems are frontline targets. Laser communication is the only technology today that offers true immunity against these new-generation electronic warfare threats and can reliably protect them from jamming and interference,” he said.

Unlike RF, laser communications are highly directional and resistant to such attacks – because laser beams are only a few microradians wide, they are hard to detect or intercept.

Astrolight, based in Vilnius, has developed a next-generation laser communication system designed to operate in contested environments, providing unjammable, high-speed links between satellites and the ground. According to Mačiulis, the technology can be used both on the ground, between space and earth, and in space alone.