The signing ceremony was attended by Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General; Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications; ESA Astronaut Alexander Gerst; Harald Hauschildt, ESA Head of Optical and Quantum Programme – ScyLight; Lisa Campbell, President of the Canadian Space Agency; Tuan Huynh, CSA Director General for Space Science & Technology and Mina Mitry, CEO and Co-founder of Kepler Communications Inc.

“ESA is proud of the HydRON project, which exemplifies the power of European and Canadian collaboration in advancing space technology. With its laser satellite network for lightning-fast internet-like communications, HydRON has the potential to transform how we connect globally, bridging digital divides and enabling secure communications on Earth and beyond," said Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General.

“The signing of the Element #1 contract marks a significant milestone in advancing optical and quantum communications in space,” said Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications. “ESA is proud to be supporting future-facing and innovative risk sharing, driving space-based communications and potential future lunar and solar system missions.”

“For 45 years now, Canada’s collaboration with ESA has resulted in opportunities to participate in European space program projects that would otherwise be out of reach. For Canadian companies, having this unique access to the European space market means commercialization prospects and concrete sales, job creation and knowledge-sharing, and international partnerships opportunities. We look forward to continuing this partnership to strengthen the strong synergies between our industrial, academic and government sectors as we advance space science and technology together,” said Lisa Campbell, President of the Canadian Space Agency.

“Kepler is proud to lead the HydRON Element#1 contract, collaborating with TESAT and Airbus to deliver a state-of-the-art optical constellation that will enable the development of terabit-per-second data relay in space. This program is aligned with Kepler’s core mission to extend Internet-like connectivity speed to space and will improve secure access to space-generated data for all ESA member states,” said Mina Mitry, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Kepler.

HydRON falls under ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight strategic programme line, part of the wider Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme.