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World-First Gigabit-per-Second Laser Link Between Aircraft and Geostationary Satellite

European Space Agency, Airbus Defence and Space, TNO and TESAT have demonstrated the world’s first gigabit‑per‑second laser link between a moving aircraft and a geostationary satellite. During test flights over Nîmes, the UltraAir optical terminal maintained an error‑free 2.6 Gbps connection to Alphasat TDP‑1 for several minutes. The achievement proves that high‑speed, secure optical links can be sustained despite aircraft motion, clouds and atmospheric turbulence. It marks a milestone for Europe’s ScyLight program and the broader push toward optical satellite communications.