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BridgeComm Partners with Space Micro for Contract With Space Development Agency for Optical Communications

March 21, 2022

BridgeComm announced they are partnering with Space Micro, Inc., powered by Voyager Space, for a 24-month development contract for advanced one-to-many optical communications from the Space Development Agency (SDA). BridgeComm and Space Micro will demonstrate MOCA’s point to multipoint optical wireless communications technology and how it can be deployed to support multi domain communications between space, air, land and sea. Space Micro is a leading supplier of affordable, high-performance, radiation-hardened communications systems. 

"We are excited to begin developing optical communications solutions for SDA and eager to start working with our talented partners at Space Micro," said Michael Abad-Santos, CEO of BridgeComm. "We have a lot of synergies, and are keen to capitalize on Space Micro’s spaceflight heritage, modern infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities. This partnership represents a big step in optical networking, free space communications, and full mesh point-to-multipoint, ultimately reducing our customers' threat surface and increasing their resilience in space."

Traditional laser communications are point-to-point (PtP) or a one-to-one relationship. However, with MOCA – which is modular and supports point-to-multipoint (PtMP) communications in the optical domain – one optical inter-satellite link can talk to as many as 40 different satellites in the field of view. MOCA will also allow SDA and other satellite operators that employ optical inter-satellite links to reduce overall system costs and implement different network topologies and architectures for tiered service levels.

"Combining our proven space-based optical communications products with BridgeComm's MOCA solution allows us to deliver enhanced and resilient throughput to SDA," said David Strobel, Executive Chair of Space Micro. "Our team looks forward to performing future terrestrial testing alongside BridgeComm, to further demonstrate the value of secure point-to-multipoint communications."

"We congratulate SDA's efforts to work with commercial space companies, to develop national security capabilities – and are thrilled for Space Micro and BridgeComm," said Clay Mowry, Chief Revenue Office at Voyager Space. "We are confident that this partnership will further the effectiveness of point-to-multipoint communications in numerous domains, enhancing national security space communications."