The European Space Agency (ESA) and Lithuanian space startup Astrolight are collaborating on a groundbreaking project: the construction of the first optical ground station (OGS) in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. This initiative aims to improve ground communications and bolster protection against signal interference.
Utilizing laser technology, the station is expected to offer superior space-to-ground connectivity compared to radio frequency (RF) systems. It will also play a crucial role in enhancing disaster detection, rescue efforts, and supporting critical infrastructure management. The financial details of the contract were not disclosed by the company.
Astrolight, established in 2019, specializes in laser-based communication systems for various domains, including space, ground, air, and sea. They develop communication terminals for space-to-space, space-to-ground, and ship-to-ship communication. The company anticipates completing the new facility by the end of 2026. This will allow the OGS to serve as a vital link between satellites orbiting Earth’s polar region and ground-based data networks.
The station will primarily serve customers in the telecommunications and Earth observation sectors. These include space agencies, governmental institutions, and commercial satellite operators focused on collecting optical, hyperspectral, radar, and infrared imaging data.
Laurynas Mačiulis, co-founder and chief executive of Astrolight, stated to SpaceNews that the Arctic region is among the most remote and poorly connected areas globally. This makes building and maintaining critical infrastructure particularly challenging. "This lack of connectivity slows down everything that depends on timely information. The optical ground station would help close that gap, enabling satellite data to reach decision-makers much faster," Mačiulis said.
He further added, "This means quicker responses in areas where time is critical, such as disaster detection and prevention, environmental monitoring and search-and-rescue operations." “Faster data means faster action, and ultimately, greater safety and resilience for the entire region. Being stationed in Greenland also gives it a strategic advantage, as all orbital paths fly over the Arctic region, meaning frequent and high-quality satellite links,” Mačiulis added.
While the U.S. Space Force operates the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, the Kangerlussuaq OGS will be located on the island’s southwestern coast, approximately 1,200 km (760 miles) from Pituffik.
Financed under the ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight program, the facility will be the northernmost of its kind and the first in Greenland. The OGS in Kangerlussuaq will be equipped with advanced laser communication technology, enabling data transfer from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites at higher data rates and more cost-effectively than traditional RF ground stations.
"Data transferred from space to Earth is projected to increase 14-fold over the next decade to more than 500 billion gigabytes, so the existing RF stations will no longer be sufficient to transmit so much data and will require a switch to optical spectrum, similar to the switch to fiber Internet on Earth," Mačiulis said. "Astrolight’s working to address this as a key bottleneck: as traditional RF communications struggle to keep up, laser-based links deliver much higher throughput, reduced cost per GB and enhanced information security.”
Astrolight has also announced plans to integrate backup distribution channels using LEO and geostationary orbit satellite relays. This will strengthen the overall reliability of space-to-ground data connections in the Arctic.
Mačiulis mentioned that Astrolight aims to increase production and sales of its Polaris naval laser communication terminals and Atlas space terminals in 2026. They are also developing additional capabilities for space-to-space optical connectivity.
Astrolight secured a seed round of €2.8 million ($3.2 million) led by tech investor Balnord in May 2024, with participation from entities like the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), Coinvest Capital, and existing investors 3NGLS and Rita Sakus. This investment will accelerate the development of a laser-based end-to-end communication platform connecting satellites to Earth, the company stated.