The facility, developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA), has successfully completed installation and site acceptance testing and is now ready for operational use. The station will enable laser-based, free-space optical communications between satellites and ground infrastructure, delivering faster and more secure data transmission than traditional radiofrequency systems.
The new installation forms part of SSC Space’s NODES optical services development project, operating under ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight program, which aims to accelerate the development of optical ground infrastructure for future satellite networks.
Manufactured by Safran Space, the Santiago optical ground station will complement existing radiofrequency communications with advanced laser-based optical links capable of delivering data speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second.
The technology offers several advantages over conventional systems, including highly focused beams that are difficult to intercept or jam, reduced interference between signals, and the ability to operate without the spectrum licensing constraints that apply to radiofrequency communications.
The station will also support multi-mission operations and two-way communications, with integrated modems compatible with CCSDS and Space Development Agency standards throughout 2026.
Optical program manager at SSC Space, Hanna Sundberg, said the new facility represented a major advancement in satellite communications capability.
“The station in Santiago is not just another node – it’s a leap forward,” Sundberg said.
“We’re moving satellite communications into a new era of speed, security and resilience. As part of the NODES network, this station brings us closer to meeting future mission requirements, with interference-resistant transmission capable of supporting growing global demand for data.”
At the European Space Agency, Laurent Jaffart, director of resilience, navigation and connectivity, said the project highlighted Europe’s growing role in advanced communications technology.
“Our goal is to demonstrate ‘Made in Europe’ innovations that will provide connectivity to member states that is faster, more secure and more resilient than ever before,” Jaffart said.
“Our Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight program ensures partners remain at the forefront of the global satellite communications market, and this collaboration with SSC Space shows how these solutions can deliver connectivity well beyond Europe and Canada.”
The ground station is located on a 100-hectare site near the foothills of the Andes, where it is already powered by locally generated solar energy. A 624-panel solar array produces around 350 kilowatt-hours of electricity, reducing site emissions by approximately 8 per cent and contributing to SSC Space’s goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2040.
Operational trials of SSC Space’s optical communications network began in Western Australia in early 2025. With the Chile installation now operational, the two-station network is capable of supporting direct-to-Earth laser communications links.
SSC Space said pilot customers and early adopters are now being invited to test the new system, which is expected to play a key role in the next generation of high-capacity satellite communications.
The project was delivered through a partnership between SSC Space, the European Space Agency and Safran Space.