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TechQuiet 5d · day 6

Greek CubeSat establishes first laser link to Earth

ERMIS-3 successfully demonstrates optical communications from orbit, validating high-bandwidth technology for small satellites.

newest coverage 5d agosummary written 5d ago6 pieces4 likes & upvotes MastodonNewswiresGoogle NewsHacker News

What to know

  • ERMIS-3, a Greek-developed 8U CubeSat, successfully demonstrated the first laser communication link from a small satellite to a ground station in Greece, validating optical communications as viable for small-satellite missions.
  • Optical links enable higher data rates than conventional radio but require precise beam pointing and tracking while facing atmospheric interference—a technically demanding operation that ERMIS-3 overcame only weeks after launch.
  • The achievement involved collaboration between the University of Athens, ESA, Lithuanian company Astrolight, and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and is positioned to support high-bandwidth Earth observation and other data-intensive satellite missions.

ERMIS-3 (CubeSat) 8U satellite platformNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens CubeSat developerEuropean Space Agency (ESA) Mission supporter and programme managerAstrolight Optical terminal manufacturerAristotle University of Thessaloniki Ground station operator

Greek CubeSat establishes first laser link to Earth
esa.int

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in two hours at Nov 2, 11 AM; 6 pieces over 6 days (3 articles · 3 posts) Nov 2, 3 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 9 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 2, Newswires 1Nov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Nov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Nov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 11 AM — quiet 12
Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6yesterdaynow · 1:15 PM ET
  1. 2

    ESA and mission leaders celebrate optical communications milestone

    ESA officials and the ERMIS principal investigators issued statements highlighting the achievement as validation of European innovation in small-satellite communications and confirmation that optical links can enable new capabilities for secure, high-bandwidth data transfer.

    “This achievement is opening new capabilities and opportunities for secure communications for small satellites within the European ecosystem.”
    — Professor Vaios Lappas and Antonis Paschalis
  2. 1

    ERMIS-3 establishes laser link with ground station

    Weeks after commissioning, ERMIS-3 successfully established an optical communications link with the Holomondas Optical Ground Station (HolOGS-1) in Greece, developed by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The achievement used Astrolight's ATLAS-1 optical terminal and demonstrated precise pointing, acquisition and tracking capabilities.

    “For the first time, an 8U CubeSat developed by the University of Athens has established a laser communication link directly to Earth using a miniaturized optical terminal developed by Astrolight.”
    — Frederic Rouesnel
    1. 1 outlet CubeSat achieves challenging laser link to ground

      first by European Space Agency, 6d ago

  3. background

    ERMIS-3 CubeSat launched to orbit — ERMIS-3, an 8U CubeSat developed by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, was launched alongside ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2 as part of an in-orbit demonstration programme testing communications technologies for small satellites.