AAC Clyde Space delivers its first laser communication terminals

AAC Clyde Space has delivered the first two units of its commercial CubeCAT laser communication terminal product to EMTECH SPACE S.A., marking a key milestone for Greece's Hellenic Space Dawn (HSD) mission. The HSD mission, developed within the Greek National Satellite Space Program and supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) through the Greek Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), is one of Greece's premier CubeSat mission to demonstrate laser communications.

With this delivery, AAC Clyde Space demonstrates its ability to provide compact, reliable and high-performance communication solutions for small satellites. Using laser light instead of radio waves, CubeCAT supports data rates up to 1 Gbps - more than ten times faster than traditional radio frequency (RF) systems - it offers strong protection against interception or jamming. These are key advantages for missions where speed and security are essential.

The delivery follows an order announced in May 2024 for two CubeCAT terminals, AAC Clyde Space's first commercial contract for the product.

"Delivering our first CubeCAT terminals is a major milestone-not only for AAC Clyde Space but for the future of small satellite communications," said Luis Gomes, CEO of AAC Clyde Space. "These compact, high-performance terminals redefine what's possible for CubeSats, enabling missions to downlink gigabit-class data volumes reliably and securely."

Nikolaos-Antonios Livanos, Founder and Managing Director of EMTECH, emphasised the mission's importance: "This delivery marks the beginning of a new chapter for Greece's role in the space economy. The CubeCAT terminals will enable us to demonstrate high-speed optical downlinks from orbit, proving how European innovation can reshape global satellite communications."

The significance of the collaboration was also underlined by ESA's Frédéric Rouesnel, Greek Connectivity RRF Project Manager: "The collaboration between EMTech and AAC Clyde Space on the HSD mission exemplifies the dynamic growth we're fostering in Greece's space sector. ESA is proud to support this partnership, which will advance optical communication capabilities and demonstrate how new space and close collaboration can drive technological progress in Europe's space economy."