Space Force Selects Three to Develop Laser Communication Terminal Prototypes
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded contracts to CACI, General Atomics, and Viasat to continue development of space laser communication terminal prototypes in the second phase of the $100 million Enterprise Space Terminal (EST) program.
SSC selected the three companies from four competing companies who recently completed Phase 1 of the EST program, culminating in a preliminary design review from each company. Awarding Phase 2 of the program to three companies allows SSC to build the industrial base for long range laser communications terminals while maintaining competition to control costs and maximize innovation. The selected companies were chosen based on cost, schedule, and performance factors and were determined to be the best value for the government.
The EST program aims to enable on-orbit crosslink compatibility among future space systems via the use of a standardized enterprise waveform implemented in a long-range space optical communications terminal that is low size, weight, power, and cost. ESTs are a key building block of the broader space data network known as MILNET, which will build a space mesh network for resiliency and information path diversity. The EST program leverages prior investment by the Department of Defense and commercial developers to operationalize a new enterprise waveform designed to communicate in the Beyond Low Earth Orbit regimes.
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