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Kepler Selected as Prime for European Space Agency's HydRON Element 3
The mission will test interoperability of several optical terminals and add hosted payloads from European partners, ESA said.
- On Tuesday, Kepler Communications Inc. signed a €18.6 million prime contract with the European Space Agency to lead HydRON Element 3, the final demonstration phase of a multi-orbit optical communications network.
- This award builds on Kepler's role as prime contractor for HydRON Element 1, which comprised a ring of 10 optical satellites, while Element 3 will deliver a hosted-payload mission with multiple European optical communication terminals.
- The mission features contributions from European partners including Vyoma GmbH providing space situational awareness payloads, TESAT Spacecom, Mbryonics Ltd, and Astrolight UAB each supplying optical communication terminal hardware for interoperability validation.
- "HydRON is a key initiative in advancing sovereign optical communications and enabling high-capacity data transport," said Kepler CEO Mina Mitry, calling Element 3 a critical step in broad interoperability testing.
- Kepler plans to deploy these satellites in low Earth orbit around 2028, aiming to expedite customer adoption of optical technology while extending the reach of terrestrial fiber networks into new markets.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Kepler to lead interoperability tests for ESA’s HydRON optical relay network
The European Space Agency has picked Canadian small satellite operator Kepler Communications to lead a hosted payload mission to test terminal interoperability for HydRON, ESA’s flagship optical relay network program. The post Kepler to lead interoperability tests for ESA’s HydRON optical relay network appeared first on SpaceNews.
The Toronto Star
Kepler Selected as Prime for European Space Agency’s HydRON Element 3
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Symposium — Kepler Communications Inc. announced today it has been selected as prime contractor for HydRON Element 3, part of
Kepler Selected as Prime for European Space Agency's HydRON Element 3
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Symposium — Kepler Communications Inc. announced today 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 m…
Kepler to lead testing of European Space Agency’s high-speed data network
Kepler Communications’ technology will soon play a leading role in the European Space Agency’s mission to enable real-time space communications. Kepler is the first Canadian company chosen as a prime contractor on an ESA project. The Toronto spacetech company was awarded 18.6 million euros ($30 million CAD) to be the prime contractor for the European Space Agency’s HydRON Element 3, a project to speed up and facilitate space communications, in…
Kepler, Astrolight to Test ESA’s ‘Fiber in the Sky’
ESA has picked a Kepler Communications-led team to test the agency’s “fiber in the sky” HydRON orbital communications network, the companies announced Tuesday. Under the contract, Kepler will launch a sat in 2027 carrying the ATLAS-X laser communications terminal from Astrolight, a Lithuanian space startup. The sat will tap into the HydrRON network as if it were a third-party user, testing both the HydRON network and Astrolight’s new optical te…
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