Russia has reached a new milestone in its space program with the successful test of inter-satellite laser communications conducted by Bureau 1440. The company has reported that on May 30, 2024, it concluded the first series of tests of this kind, marking a significant advancement in satellite communication technologies.
During these trials, more than 200 gigabytes of data were transmitted at a speed of 10 gigabits per second between spacecraft located over 30 kilometers apart. This achievement not only highlights the importance of the new technology but also underscores its potential to revolutionize satellite and Internet communications, offering high data speeds and significantly improving communication quality.
Bureau 1440, which is developing the Russian response to Elon Musk’s Starlink project, has indicated that these results are just the beginning. The company plans to conduct dozens of new tests at greater distances, reaching hundreds of kilometers between satellites. This initiative aligns with the approach used by Starlink and other companies competing in the global satellite communications market.
Since its founding, Bureau 1440 has shown a strong commitment to the development of satellite data transmission systems in low Earth orbit. In 2020, the company announced a $76 million investment in the development of this system, launching its first three satellites in 2023. According to statements on their Telegram account, the company’s goal is to create a broadband data service that provides high-speed, low-latency communication worldwide, similar to Starlink.
The success of these tests represents an important step for Russia in its race to offer high-speed Internet access globally through low Earth orbit satellite constellations. In addition to Starlink, other competitors like Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Eutelsat’s OneWeb, and Telesat’s Lightspeed are in the running to dominate this market.
Bureau 1440’s project promises to be a revolution comparable to Sputnik 1, the first successfully launched artificial satellite in 1957. With this breakthrough, Russia not only secures its place in the global technological competition but also lays the groundwork for future developments in the field of space communications.
The company has not issued further comments to the media, but it is expected to continue advancing in its testing and development, establishing itself as a key player in the satellite communications sector.