Kepler Selected as Prime for European Space Agency’s HydRON Element 3
Kepler Communications Inc. announced it has been selected as prime contractor for HydRON Element 3, part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) High-throughput Optical Network (HydRON) project. HydRON, within ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – Scylight program, will develop a high-throughput optical network enabling secure, real-time data transport across multiple orbits and between space and ground systems.
The €18.6M award builds on Kepler’s role as prime contractor for HydRON Element 1, extending into hosting payloads for users of the HydRON network. For Element 3, Kepler will deliver a hosted-payload mission with multiple European optical communication terminals (OCT) and payloads from service providers on a standard Kepler-built satellite used in Kepler’s network. The mission will validate interoperability of several optical communication terminals and bring online real-time data for space domain awareness services.
“HydRON is a key initiative in advancing sovereign optical communications and enabling high-capacity data transport,” said Mina Mitry, CEO and Co-Founder of Kepler. “Element 3 represents a critical step in broad interoperability testing and delivering real-time access to data for various applications.”Kepler is responsible for delivering a standard Kepler satellite with real-time optical intersatellite links, payload hosting, launch preparation, and in-orbit operations. The program includes contributions from European partners providing payloads and equipment representative of HydRON applications, including:
Vyoma GmbH, providing a space situational awareness hosted payload;
TESAT, providing optical communication terminal hardware;
Mbryonics Ltd, providing optical communication terminal hardware; and
Astrolight UAB, providing optical communication terminal hardware.
“HydRON will serve as the world’s first multi-orbital optical communications network with a terabit per second capacity, offering resilient and efficient data transfer to address the challenges of bringing connectivity to multiple users securely, quickly and reliably,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity. “Today’s signature with Kepler Communications continues our collaboration on the project, as they contribute their expertise in concert with their consortium to deliver Element 3; the component of HydRON that’s key to building new industrial capabilities, demonstrating new service concepts, fostering system extensions, and promoting international cooperation and interoperability.”
The mission will provide on-orbit heritage and operational experience across multiple payload providers, supporting the integration of optical communications technologies into future HydRON capabilities and associated commercial services.
This contract was made possible thanks to Canada’s unique status as the only non-European cooperating state of the European Space Agency (ESA). Funded by the Canadian Space Agency, the Canada–ESA Program provides Canadian businesses with access to otherwise protected European space markets, fostering lasting relationships that often yield follow-on sales worth three times the original contract value.