Hellas Sat operator company, French space agency (CNES), Thales Alenia Space and Safran signed a framework cooperation agreement. The purpose of the partnership is to develop an advanced optical communication system for the future geostationary telecommunication satellite Hellas Sat 5 and the deployment of a corresponding ground optical station in Cyprus.
Key details of the project
Ultra-fast data transfer: The new laser communication technology will allow data transmission at a speed of about one terabit per second, overcoming obstacles, caused by atmospheric turbulence.
Distribution of roles
Thales Alenia Space to supply the SOLiS system (secure optical space communication service) and on-board payload for the satellite. Safran will develop a pilot commercial ground station in Cyprus (CyOGS), which will interact with the active French FROGS station on the Mediterranean coast.
Strategic security
Optical communication in outer space is set to become the new standard for secure data transmission. This will make intercontinental networks more stable and reliable, especially in light of the vulnerability of underwater fiber optic cables to sabotage.
Geopolitical significance and innovation
The agreement was signed during the Battlefield Redefined conference 2026 in Nicosia (Cyprus) with the support of the European Commission. Ministers of the governments of Greece and Cyprus took part in the event, as well as representatives of leading space agencies, which emphasizes the pan-European nature of the initiative. Representatives of CNES and Thales Alenia Space also emphasized, that this project is a decisive step for the practical implementation of the revolutionary technology of optical communication between space and the Earth.