Hellas Sat, CNES and Safran Develop Optical Satellite Network

Operator Hellas Sat, the French Space Agency (CNES), Thales Alenia Space - a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) - and Safran have signed a framework cooperation agreement to develop a next-generation optical communications system to be hosted on the  future Hellas Sat 5 geostationary telecommunications satellite and the associated Optical ground station to  be deployed in Cyprus. 

This partnership will deliver ultra-high-performance, very high-throughput data transfer services from  geostationary orbit, enabling faster, more secure and more resilient satellite communications for critical  applications. Itis builton CNES’s SOLiS project1, led by Thales Alenia Space as part of the space component of the France 2030 program, and will demonstrate very high-data-rate laser communications services through  the atmosphere. 

Under this European cooperation, Thales Alenia Space will supply the SOLiS system and the onboard optical  payload for the Hellas Sat 5 geostationary telecommunications satellite. Safran will provide a prototype  commercial (“pilot”) ground station, which will be installed at Hellas Sat ’s teleport in Cyprus (CyOGS). This  pilot station will communicate with CNES’s FROGS station already operating at the Côte d’Azur Observatory  on the Mediterranean coast. This communications system will be designed to enable interoperability with  other Satellite optical communications systems under development. 

Poised to revolutionize satellite telecommunications, free-space optical communications could become a  new standard for secure, space-based data transmission, thanks to greatly enhanced capabilities that can deliver data rates on the order of a terabit per second — despite the distances involved and disruptions  caused by atmospheric turbulences. It is designed to make intercontinental networks more resilient, as  terrestrial and subsea optical fiber links are increasingly subject to sabotage. In this respect, geostationary  telecommunications satellites are a proven solution: cost-effective and offering continuous coverage for  massive, ultra-secure data transfers between users on the ground. 

The cooperation agreement was signed during a special ceremony held at the Battlefield Redefined  2026 Conference (Nicosia, Cyprus), being an event co-organized with DG DEFIS of the European  Commission οn the occasion of the Cypriot Presidency of the European Union. During this significant  event, Greek and Cypriot ministers and representatives from Hellas Sat, CNES, Thales Alenia Space and 

Safran, as well as the National Observatory of Athens, the Hellenic Space Center (the Hellenic Space  Agency) and a number of Cypriot and Greek ministerial bodies and governmental authorities as well as significant space stakeholders participated, thus emphasizing the European character and geopolitical symbolism of the said initiative. 

Christodoulos Protopapas, CEO of Hellas Sat, said:“The cooperation with CNES, Thales Alenia Space  and Safran is a strong endorsement of Hellas Sat as a resilient, credible and strategic European satellite  operator.Working alongsideleading European space institutions and industrial champions reinforces the trust,  added value and international standing of Hellas Sat. 

1 Service Optique de Liaisons Spatiales Sécurisées, or secure optical space link service

Next Generation optical satellite communications are of strategic importance for Greece and Cyprus,  enhancing the resilience, security and sovereignty of critical national and governmental communications. Through the Hellas Sat 5 program, Hellas Sat actively contributes to the development of next-generation  technologies that strengthen Europe’s secure connectivity and strategic autonomy. 

This partnership, bringing together France, Greece and Cyprus, reflects the strong European spirit of  cooperation and technological progress thus demonstrating how joint innovation can support long-term  technological leadership at both national and European level.” 

“The opportunity to fly and operate the SOLiS system in cooperation with Hellas Sat is a major step towards  the adoption of free-space optics for very high throughput Ground-to-Space communications. The service  demonstration carried out in the frame of the France 2030 program by Thales Alenia Space, Safran and their  SOLiS partners is key to qualify first operational applications to be offered by this disruptive technology.” said Lionel Suchet,Deputy Chief Executive Officer from CNES. 

“We’re delighted to work with Hellas Sat, CNES and Safran to develop this optical communications system  — a key building block in the creation of a secure, very high-throughput data transmission network,” said Alcino de Sousa, Senior Vice President, Telecommunications at Thales Alenia Space. “This partnership  marks the start of a new era for telecommunications services. By combining multiple wavelengths, the SOLiS  system will deliver unmatched performance, approaching 1 terabit per second.” 

“We are proud to take part in this European cooperation, which places innovation at the service of sovereignty and  the security of strategic communications. Safran will contribute its recognized expertise in very high-speed optical  links by providing the pilot ground station in Cyprus. This project perfectly illustrates our commitment to supporting  European autonomy and delivering reliable solutions for the most critical applications in an ever-evolving  environment”, said Jean-Marie Bétermier EVP Space for Safran Electronics & Defense.