Loading…
Astrogate Labs announced India's first indigenous Optical Inter-Satellite Link (OISL) terminal, for direct satellite-to-satellite laser communication, targeting full flight readiness by 2027.
The announcement was made at the 9th Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX 2026), held from 7 to 9 September 2026 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre.
The company also demonstrated AstroLink Micro, a 10 Gbps space-to-ground laser communication terminal.
Its space-to-ground laser terminals have reached Technology Readiness Level 8, meaning complete and qualified for spaceflight.
Astrogate is described as the only Indian company to have supplied an indigenously developed satellite-to-ground laser communication terminal to ISRO, and has completed cross-compatibility testing with the University of Western Australia's TeraNet optical ground station.
Satellites exchange data over a narrow laser beam instead of radio waves. Because the beam is tight and at optical frequencies, it carries far more data, is harder to intercept or jam, and needs no spectrum licence - but it demands precise pointing between two moving spacecraft.
Simple Analogy: Two torch beams locked on each other across a stadium, blinking data instead of shouting it.
National space agency; recipient of Astrogate's indigenously developed satellite-to-ground laser communication terminal
Single-window authorisation and promotion body for private space activity in India, set up in 2020
GS Paper 3 > Science and Technology > Space technology and indigenisation
General Awareness > Science and Technology
Laser-based communication link directly between two satellites in orbit
A scale measuring how mature a technology is, from concept (TRL 1) to proven in operation (TRL 9); TRL 8 means complete and flight-qualified
Orbits at roughly 160 km to 2,000 km altitude, where most communication and Earth-observation constellations operate