
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Thales Australia has signed a major research extension with the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for the development of Advanced Optical Communications technologies for transmission through Earth's Turbulent Atmosphere.
The research extension builds upon initial feasibility work conducted over the past 12 months, and provides a three-year commitment from SmartSat to fund the next phase of this new communications technology that uses laser beams to carry high data rate communications through space.
The project will develop an advanced optical communications system that has been shown to support optical fibre-like data transfer rates over atmospheric free-space communication links, using active optics technology and a free-space coherent phase-stabilisation system. The project will focus on deploying this technology to demonstrate feasibility over vertical free-space communications links through Earth's turbulent atmosphere, starting with low-altitude targets, progressing to light aircraft and stratospheric vehicles. Preliminary work has already demonstrated successful communication over 2.4 km and 10 km horizontal free-space links.
Led by Dr. Sascha Schediwy from the University of Western Australia, in collaboration with Goonhilly Earth Station, the University of Western Australia (UWA), the University of South Australia (UniSA), and Defence Science & Technology (DST), the project supports the commitments made by Thales Australia's Strategic Statement of Intent signed with the Australian Space Agency in December 2019, and is indicative of opportunities for new space projects that will flow from the SmartSat CRC initiative.
This project is an important step towards the ultimate objective of achieving high data rate satellite to ground optical communications, and is a great example of how large organisations like Thales can work in partnership with the Australian research community to develop the next generation of space technologies, while also generating opportunities for local manufactures to feed into our global product supply chain.
Michael Clark, Director Technical Strategy, Thales Australia and New Zealand
Goonhilly Earth Station is a world-class facility at the forefront of both satellite and deep space communications. Goonhilly's future ground terminals in the UK and overseas will incorporate free space coherent optical communications capabilities and this aligns perfectly with the strategic objectives of Thales.
Dr Bob Gough, Head of Business Development, Australia & APAC, Goonhilly Earth Station
This project reflects the fertile environment provided by SmartSat to grow our sovereign space capability, combining the experience of international companies Goonhilly Earth Station and Thales Australia with local researchers at the University of Western Australia, the University of South Australia, and Defence Science & Technology. Optical communication links are poised to become the only viable solution to meet the data transfer needs of future space communication systems in the rapidly growing $400 billion global space economy.
Professor Andy Koronios, Chief Executive Officer, SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre.
The project aims to develop and demonstrate high-speed, free-space optical communications via laser links between a ground station and airborne vehicles.
Dr Sascha Schediwy, Project Lead, University of Western Australia.
About Thales in Australia Thales Australia is a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force and is also present in commercial sectors ranging from air traffic management and ground transport systems to security systems and services. Thales Australia employs around 3,800 people directly and supports over 1,700 job along its Australian supply chain. In 2019 Thales Australia spent $522 million with 1,362 Australia suppliers, of which 70% are SMEs.
Thales Australia has a history of patient investment to build advanced in-country capability across manufacturing, critical systems and services. Close collaborative relationships with local customers, Australian SME suppliers and research institutions combined with technology transfer from our global business enables Thales to tailor high quality solutions for Australian and export markets, generating revenue of $1.6 billion in exports over the past 10 years.
About SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre The SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre brings together over 100 national and international partners who have invested over $190 million, along with $55 million in Federal Government funding under its Cooperative Research Centre Program, in a $245 million research effort over seven years.
Contact
Press Contact: Alasdair Cameron
+61 (0)2 8037 6032 / +61 (0)404 073 169 alasdair.cameron@thalesgroup.com.au
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
21/04/2026
Cloud-based production isnt going anywhere, and BitFire is doubling down by prov...
21/04/2026
The topic of artificial intelligence has a stranglehold on the sports-video-prod...
21/04/2026
5G is still a hot topic in live event production, and this workflow continues to...
21/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Ed McGivern, GM and President of Appear US, discusses the ...
21/04/2026
Studio Network Solutions (SNS) has announced an on-premise AI suite designed for...
21/04/2026
Suite Studios has integrated its file-streaming technology into the newly announced Frame.io Drive, a desktop application from Adobe company Frame.io. The colla...
21/04/2026
Net Insight has integrated InSync Technology's FrameFormer into the Nimbra E...
21/04/2026
Fox Sports has selected Appear as a technology partner to support the next phase...
21/04/2026
Diversified has appointed Tyler Affolter as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) to lead the company's commercial organisation. The appointment follows the firm'...
21/04/2026
Layercake has formalised the integration of Bitmovin's video streaming infra...
21/04/2026
The International Judo Federation (IJF) has extended its distribution partnershi...
21/04/2026
Glookast has launched the Cinnafilm Tachyon plugin for its Media Producer and Me...
21/04/2026
Eutelsat has entered into an agreement with Cadena Tres, a division of Grupo Ima...
21/04/2026
Dolby Laboratories and TV Azteca have partnered to introduce Dolby Atmos immersive audio to free-to-air television broadcasts. The implementation utilises the A...
21/04/2026
FOX Entertainment partnered with Verizon to overcome significant production hurd...
21/04/2026
Osprey Video has announced its technology showcase for the NAB Show 2026, highli...
21/04/2026
Riedel Communications (Booth C4908) introduced a range of new solutions at NAB S...
21/04/2026
The NAB Show is in full swing, and the SVG and SVG Europe editorial teams are chasing down the hottest stories from all over the Las Vegas Convention Center. He...
21/04/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the URSA Cine Immersive 100G, an immersive cinem...
21/04/2026
Clark Wire & Cable is continuing its evolution from cable supplier to full-scale solutions partner for broadcast and live production. At the 2026 NAB Show, we s...
21/04/2026
Rashad Frett attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Ricky at Eccles Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, UT. (Photo by George Pimentel/Shut...
21/04/2026
Five years ago, Spotify arrived in Pakistan, opening a new chapter in the country's music scene. Since then, local listeners have explored across genres, ge...
21/04/2026
Since its launch in 2020, RADAR has been our program for spotlighting emerging artists around the world. This year marks the sixth edition of RADAR Spain, our o...
21/04/2026
Offers compact wireless solution for pedalboards
Taiwanese audio brand Cloudvocal have announced the availability of a new pedalboard-friendly wireless syst...
21/04/2026
Latest hybrid sampling/synthesis instrument arrives
Arturia's Augmented series offerings rely on a mixture of sampling and synthesis, allowing users to ...
21/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host Power Electronics Online Conference From Design to Vali...
21/04/2026
MAS and Lockheed Martin partner to establish an F-35 depot in Canada, enabling in-country sustainment and creating high-skilled aerospace jobs....
21/04/2026
Advertising strategies shift as competition grows for a large, active and qualit...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Layercake Deepens Bitmovin Integration to Power End-to-End Media Orchestration w...
21/04/2026
Cobalt Digital Announces Launch of blueCORE at NAB Show 2026: Compact Powerhouse...
21/04/2026
On-Premise AI Suite from Studio Network Solutions Debuts at NAB Show 2026
Melanie Ciotti April 21, 2026
0 Comments
Unlimited processing, no cloud depe...
21/04/2026
London, 21 April 2026 IBC today announced the appointment of Tim Banham as its first Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), a newly created role that reflects the or...
21/04/2026
Motion Design Tools - April 2026
Roland Kahlenberg April 21, 2026
0 Comments
Within 2 days, Maxon and Canva announced pro-level motion design apps - A...
21/04/2026
Chaos and Zero Density to Showcase Real-Time Ray Tracing for Virtual Studios and...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...