Aviation Sourcing Solutions Blog

In the late 1990s, the satellite internet startup company Teledesic was deemed unsuccessful due to technical setbacks. However, one of its key vendors, a German supplier of laser communications technology, is continues to be a supporter of space-based global connectivity in Silicon Valley. This company, Tesat-Spacecom of Backnang, Germany, is a subsidiary of Airbus Defense and Space and has been preparing high bandwidth optical communications for inter satellite transmissions for the past 25 years. In 2015, Tesat will be entering its first commercial laser communications terminal (LCT) into operational service through the European Data Relay System (EDRS). With over $643 million co-financed by Airbus, the European Union, and the European Space Agency (ESA), the company is currently providing a bidirectional relay with an extremely high data rate. This data transfer is utilized through remote sensing satellites in LEO and the ground through a geostationary orbit (GEO). Tesat is currently under contract to produce more LCT for future Sentinel spacecraft. The company is set to produce four units per year using 1,064 nanometer wavelengths along with BPSK modulation. In addition to contract work, Tesat soon looks to release their first commercial LCTs with the models EDRS-A and Eutelsat 9B satellites. Airbus, ESA, and the EU will follow suit as plans have been finalized to complete and release a second geostationary data relay payload. This unit, the EDRS-C, will launch on the Avanti Communication Hylas-3 satellite. Tesat-Spacecom is an independently operating company of EADS Astrium GmbH that develops, manufactures, and tests telecommunication payloads for international satellite manufacturers. Founded in 2001, the company has over 1,200 employees and has met over $227 million euros in yearly revenue. With a worldwide presence, their 65 customers are served in over 20 different countries. Products include wave tube amplifiers, microwave power modules, and laser communication terminals. Via our proprietary website Aviation Sourcing Solutions, ASAP Semiconductor is a leading supplier of EADS products. Prospective customers can browse our inclusive inventory of hard-to-find obsolete and current EADS parts at www.aviationsourcingsolutions.com. If you are interested in a part, please feel free to contact our knowledgeable sales staff at sales@aviationsourcingsolutions.com or 1-714-705-4780 for a quote.