SSC Awards Blue Origin, CACI International, General Atomics, and Viasat Contracts for Laser Communication Terminal Prototypes

The Space Systems Command (SSC) has awarded contracts to four companies for the development of laser communication terminal prototypes, marking the initiation of the first phase of a $100 million program called Enterprise Space Terminal.

The selected companies, Blue Origin, CACI International, General Atomics, and Viasat, will compete to design and prototype optical communications terminals intended for space applications. These terminals function akin to high-powered modems, utilizing lasers to transmit and receive data over vast distances at the speed of light.

The Enterprise Space Terminal project, overseen by SSC’s Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power Program Executive Office, aims to create a space mesh network that spans various orbits — from low Earth orbit to beyond geosynchronous. This initiative seeks to ensure compatibility between future military space systems, enabling seamless communication regardless of location.

“The Enterprise Space Terminal prototypes will be a huge step forward for a future space mesh network...This creates a robust network that offers diverse communication paths for critical national security data,” - John Kirkemo, Senior Materiel Leader of SSC’s Advanced Communications Acquisition Delta

The four companies were chosen through a competitive process managed by the Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC), an organization established by the Department of Defense to attract non-traditional defense contractors, including startups and commercial firms. The selected companies will be evaluated based on the size, weight, power consumption, and cost-effectiveness of their laser communication terminal prototypes.

The Enterprise Space Terminal project represents a significant advancement in military space communications, aiming to enhance the resilience and flexibility of data transmission across different orbits and systems.