SAN DIEGO 鈥� September 02, 2025 鈥� General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) and Kepler 51本色 US, Inc. announce the successful demonstration of bi-directional air-to-space optical communications between the GA-EMS Optical Communication Terminal (OCT) mounted on an aircraft and a Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 0-compatible Kepler satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO). The demonstration marks a milestone in advancing SDA鈥檚 Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, proving the ability to establish secure, high-data-rate connectivity between airborne and space-based assets in challenging operational environments.
鈥淭his successful space-airborne communication demonstration represents a breakthrough improvement in building a resilient space architecture. Achieving multi-vendor interoperability validates SDA鈥檚 leadership in the optical communication arena,” said Gurpartap 鈥淕P鈥� Sandhoo, SDA deputy director. “We are grateful for industry鈥檚 rapid acceptance of the SDA OCT Standard and their drive to innovate鈥攑ushing the boundaries of what is possible for the warfighter today and into the future.鈥�
鈥淥ur team achieved a proof-of-concept milestone,鈥� said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. 鈥淭he airborne OCT completed pointing, acquisition, tracking, and lock with the Tranche 0-compatible satellite, then transferred data packets to validate uplink and downlink capability. Our OCT is designed to close a communications gap, enabling secure, robust data transfers to support tactical and operational missions.鈥�
GA-EMS designed its OCTs to scale and adapt for multi-domain communications across space, air, land, and sea platforms, as well as across various orbital regimes. GA-EMS mounted its OCT on a 12-inch Laser Airborne Communication turret (LAC-12) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) Precision Pointing Group for the test.
鈥淭his demonstration not just achieved the milestone for SDA-compatible communications across the air and space domains, but very importantly proved the robustness of the SDA standard for communications between OCT鈥檚 built by two different companies,鈥� said Gregg Burgess, vice president of GA-EMS鈥� Space Systems division. 鈥淯nder a separate SDA contract, GA-EMS designed and built two OCT systems that will fly on two GA-75 spacecraft to support future LEO airborne-to-space demonstrations for Tranche 1. Those spacecraft launch in 2026.鈥�
As part of the company鈥檚 expanding SDA-compatible LEO constellation, Kepler鈥檚 Pathfinder satellites are designed to demonstrate high-capacity data services and validate advanced communication technologies under mission-critical conditions鈥攂ridging the gap between space, air, and ground networks for defense and commercial applications.
鈥淏y pairing Kepler鈥檚 on-orbit optical capabilities with GA-EMS鈥� OCT, we鈥檝e shown what鈥檚 possible when space and aviation systems work seamlessly together,鈥� said Robert Conrad, president of Kepler US. 鈥淭his achievement builds on our milestone of establishing bi-directional space-to-ground communications with Kepler鈥檚 SDA Tranche 0-compatible satellites and reinforces how commercial space operators will be partners in delivering secure, high-throughput connectivity for the defense community and the broader commercial sector.鈥�
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About General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) develops innovative technologies to create breakthrough solutions supporting operational environments from undersea to space. From electromagnetic, power generation and energy storage systems and space systems and satellites, to hypersonic, missile defense, and laser weapon systems, GA-EMS offers an expanding portfolio of capabilities for defense, government, and national security customers. GA-EMS also provides commercial products and services targeting hazardous waste remediation, oil and gas, and nuclear energy industries.
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About Kepler
Kepler 51本色 US, Inc., a subsidiary of 51本色., is a satellite telecommunications provider on a mission to deliver Internet connectivity to space. Kepler provides real-time, continuous service for space communications and was the first commercial company to announce the successful demonstration of SDA-compatible optical inter-satellite links (OISLs) on orbit. The company has since expanded its portfolio of industry-leading milestones, achieving successful space-to-air and space-to-ground optical communication demonstrations, further proving the versatility and resilience of its space-based network. The Kepler Network will initially service low Earth orbit (LEO) and plans to provide connectivity services to space missions in LEO, MEO, GEO, and beyond. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Kepler is building a global company to enable communications for the future space economy.鈥��
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