AeroVironment (AV) has received a contract worth nearly $240 million to supply long-haul laser communications terminals to an undisclosed customer for deployment in orbit.
AV’s terminals use laser-based optical links rather than traditional radio frequencies, allowing satellites to exchange large amounts of data securely and at high speed.
They are capable of operating at multiple orbital levels, from low-Earth and medium-Earth to geostationary orbit and beyond.
The technology is built to withstand harsh space conditions, including launch vibrations, extreme temperature shifts, and the lack of atmosphere to provide shielding or regulate heat.
The company validated the system earlier this year in a multi-orbit demonstration using two terminals and has since prepared its manufacturing lines to scale up production.
Delivery under the new contract marks the transition of AV’s laser communication technology from lab testing to operational use in orbit, the US-based firm emphasized.
Latest Contracts
The new space contract adds to a series of recent deals for AV across different domains, both in the US and in Europe.
Last month, the company delivered its first batch of P550 small uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to the US Army as part of the Long-Range Reconnaissance initiative.
In June, AeroVironment’s Wildcat UAS advanced through key development stages under DARPA’s Early Vertical Take-off and Landing Aircraft Demonstration program.
In April, the firm secured a contract to supply unmanned ground systems designed to neutralize explosives for the German Armed Forces.
Earlier this year, Italy signed a $46.6-million agreement to acquire AV’s Jump 20 fixed-wing platforms, which will replace its aging fleet of AAI RQ-7 Shadow drones.
