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Ground station in Chile ready to connect to space via laser

Written by  Tuesday, 10 March 2026 06:52
Optical Ground Station in Chile, by the Andean foothills

A new ground station in Chile is set to transform how we connect to satellites, using laser technology that promises faster, safer, and more reliable data transmission. The European Space Agency (ESA), Sweden’s SSC Space and France’s Safran Space cooperated to build and test the facility, marking a concrete step towards wider use of optical communications.

 SSC Space's Optical Ground Station closed
SSC Space's Optical Ground Station closed

“At ESA, we’re working with our partners to showcase the ‘Made in Europe’ innovations that will provide connectivity to our Member States that’s faster, more secure and more resilient than ever before,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity. “Our Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme is an essential tool to keeping our partners at the leading edge of the global satellite communications market, and this partnership with SSC Space shows just how we’re delivering connectivity solutions beyond Europe and Canada.”

“The station in Santiago is not just another node – it’s a leap forward. We’re moving satellite communications into a new era of speed, security, and resilience. As part of the NODES network, this station brings us closer to fulfilling tomorrow’s mission needs, with interference-resistant transmission capable of meeting heavy data demand,” says Hanna Sundberg, Optical Programme Manager at SSC Space.


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