Michael Turner is the CEO of Ex Terra Media, LLC.
NordSpace’s Terra Nova satellite is part of its space-systems work.
NordSpace plans to fly its Terra Nova dual-use demonstration satellite on a SpaceX Transporter mission later in 2026.
NordSpace said Terra Nova, its dual-use demonstration satellite, will fly on a SpaceX Transporter mission later in 2026.
The TERRA-M requires no external dome or dedicated facility.
The TERRA-M can be transported by light vehicle or aircraft and deployed on a rooftop.
The TERRA-M used the U.S. Space Development Agency laser communication standard throughout the trials.
Archangel Lightworks built the TERRA-M optical ground station.
The TERRA-M trials transferred data between the ground station and a LEO satellite across multiple passes.
The TERRA-M optical head stands 3.6 feet tall and 2.3 feet in diameter.
The UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory funded the TERRA-M field trials.
Archangel Lightworks says the TERRA-M is already being purchased and delivered to customers as a ground-station-as-a-service offering.
Field trials of the TERRA-M demonstrated secure, high-speed laser communications between a ground-based terminal and a satellite in low Earth orbit.
The TERRA-M design eliminates the need for dedicated buildings or fixed protective domes.
Archangel Lightworks’ TERRA-M system is the world’s smallest deployable operational optical ground station.
TERRA-M’s optical head is 1.1 meters tall and 0.7 meters in diameter.
The TERRA-M field trial securely and rapidly transferred data between the ground and a satellite in low Earth orbit.
Archangel Lightworks demonstrated TERRA-M in a multi-day field trial in the Mediterranean region.
The TERRA-M trials used the United States Space Development Agency laser communication standard.
The TERRA-M system can be transported by light vehicles or aircraft and deployed on rooftops or at the edge of existing communications networks.