MBRYONICS StarCom Terminal Enables Terabit Per Second Data Transfer

MBRYONICS has secured a €18.6 million award from the European Space Agency (ESA) to advance a high-throughput optical network designed to deliver terabit per second data transfer rates in orbit. The company’s StarCom optical terminal, developed in collaboration with Kepler Communications leading the ESA team, will undergo in-orbit demonstrations as part of the HydRON program, verifying interoperability with other optical terminal providers and ground station infrastructure. “HydRON will be the world’s first multi-orbital optical communications network with a terabit per second capacity,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, highlighting the project’s scale. According to John Mackey, CEO of MBRYONICS, “The internet was built by making different networks talk to each other, and that’s exactly what we’re enabling in space,” as the company expands production to meet growing demand for its universal optical communications platform.

ESA’s HydRON Program Selects MBRYONICS for In-Orbit Demonstration

The European Space Agency’s selection of MBRYONICS for in-orbit demonstration activities under the HydRON program signifies a substantial investment in the future of space-based communication. The company received a €18.6 million award as part of Element 3 of the High-throughput Optical Network initiative, which falls under ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications, ScyLight program and the agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems. This builds on MBRYONICS’ earlier success contributing optical testbed facilities for HydRON Element 2, demonstrating a proven track record of reliability in system development. MBRYONICS’ technology is uniquely positioned to facilitate this network, as the company is currently the only provider capable of handling all optical communication standards, enabling seamless operation between disparate constellations and terrestrial networks. The ESA award follows a similar demonstration within DARPA’s Space-BACN program, further validating MBRYONICS’ laser communication technologies.

Mina Mitry, CEO and Co-Founder of Kepler, emphasized the importance of this collaborative approach, stating, “Interoperability is central to the success of HydRON, and bringing together multiple optical communication technologies on a shared platform is a critical step toward enabling operational, multi-vendor networks in space.” To meet increasing demand, MBRYONICS is expanding production capacity with a new 40,000 square foot facility in Shannon, Ireland, expected to produce thousands of terminals by 2027.

MBRYONICS StarCom Terminal Enables Multi-Orbit Interoperability

The push for ubiquitous space-based communication is increasingly focused on interoperability, moving beyond isolated satellite constellations to interconnected networks. While numerous companies are developing optical terminals for laser communication, a key challenge remains ensuring these systems can seamlessly exchange data, regardless of manufacturer or orbital location. MBRYONICS is addressing this with its StarCom terminal, recently selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the HydRON program, led by Kepler Communications. The HydRON network, featuring the MBRYONICS StarCom terminal, is designed to achieve a terabit per second capacity, a significant leap in data transfer rates for space-based systems.

This expansion isn’t merely about increasing volume; it’s a strategic move to proliferate solutions and establish what the company terms a “network of networks” extending from Earth to low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), and even cislunar space. The facility is projected to produce thousands of optical terminals by 2027, a substantial increase in output intended to support a rapidly growing space-based communications infrastructure, and will help connect a wider range of orbital platforms.