First Partner to the Stars: Muon Space adopts Starlink lasers for millisecond data transmission

Satellites shooting lasers at each other in space sounds like science fiction, but it’s happening now, as terabytes of data pass quickly through space. Starlink network. Muon Space’s satellites are set to adopt this technology, giving us a near future when they transmit data as easily as we access data Internet On the floor.

Muon announced this week that it will incorporate Starlink’s miniature laser technology into its upcoming Halo spacecraft, with the first equipped satellite launching in 2027. Starlink satellites communicate with each other using lasers, creating a mesh network in low Earth orbit, or LEO. The technology supports 25 Gbps communications between satellites at a range of up to 4,000 km. Higher data speeds are available over shorter distances.

Muon Space will be the first company outside of Starlink’s parent company SpaceX to use miniature laser technology on its satellites.

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Satellites usually suffer from bottlenecks such as latency when communicating with ground stations, and delays when moving between them.

“Most Earth observations and analyzes in space have been limited at the systems level by this little straw of communication, which is pinched most of the time and only connected once in a while,” Gregory Smirin, president of Muon Space, told CNET.

Thanks to miniature laser technology, Muon satellites will join the Starlink network to access real-time data and high-bandwidth streaming. Muon says latency is reduced to milliseconds. He also noted that the data is encrypted end-to-end to maintain security Customer information security.

Typically, this type of advertising is intended to excite Muon’s existing and potential corporate customers, but the broader implications of the technology will also be felt by ordinary people. Smirin equated the adoption of miniature laser technology on satellites with the shift from the days when people connected to the Internet using dial-up modems to the always-on access that prevails today.

“Even in 2027, you’ll start to see the impact of this kind of constant connectivity on services that will be visible to individuals,” Smirin said. “Space has become an enabler of ground reality.”

For example, Muon Space is the hardware supplier VirusesIt is a system of satellites developed in collaboration with Google and the Earth Fire Alliance to locate and track wildfires from space. In July, the companies issued First images of FireSat From a prototype satellite in orbit for testing.

Smirin explained that reducing latency will help operators track the direction and progress of the fire. He pointed to the wildfires that broke out this year in Los Angeles, when winds and smoke prevented planes from flying overhead to make accurate observations. With FireSat, you can get this information on an ongoing basis, enabling responders to better determine a perimeter for personnel and equipment.

“We offer five to 10 times the capacity as the rest of the new space industry, so this is a huge step forward,” he said.

Smirin said the company is confident in this technology. After all, these are the same terminals that Starlink uses to power its global network. “Today it works for everyone, it’s reliable, and now it’s about bringing that capability to organizations outside of Starlink.”