The European Data Relay System (EDRS), also known as the "SpaceDataHighway," is a European constellation of geostationary satellites designed for near-real-time data relay between satellites, spacecraft, UAVs, and ground stations. Implemented through a public-private partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Airbus Defence & Space, EDRS provides high-speed laser communication and radio frequency (RF) data transfer services. Its primary customers include the European Commission's Copernicus program and other Earth observation missions, enabling rapid downlink of large data volumes. Associated keywords: data relay, laser communication, geostationary orbit, Airbus, ESA, Copernicus, Sentinel satellites.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
European Data Relay Service LEO-to-GEO optical links achieve data rates of 1.8 Gbps at 2.2 W with multiple links per day in orbit.
Until now, LEO to GEO optical links of the European Data Relay Service achieved data rates of 1.8 Gbps at 2.2 W with multiple links per day on-orbit.
Recent government initiatives like the Public-Private Partnership between Airbus and ESA's European Data Relay Services support the optical satcom industry.