Ball Collaborates with Honeywell for Optical Communication Datalinks

April 16, 2018

Ball Aerospace is collaborating with Honeywell to develop and produce high-performance, high-reliability Optical Communication DataLinks that enable satellite operators to deliver affordable, high-capacity, high-data rate connectivity to users around the world. 

Using value-engineering, design-for-manufacturing practices and a combined 60 years of experience in optical communications, Ball Aerospace and Honeywell will establish volume production of optical terminals for high-speed communications from ground to space, spacecraft to spacecraft and spacecraft to aircraft.

"Ball and Honeywell are leveraging their respective strengths to collaboratively develop advanced optical terminals for inter-satellite links," said Brad Tousley, vice president, strategic technology development and commercial aerospace business, Ball Aerospace. "Our team's strong, proven capabilities in developing and manufacturing precision space-based optical systems will ensure the success of future low-earth-orbit constellations."

Since the 1990s, Ball Aerospace and Honeywell have combined their knowledge and expertise on various optical communications capabilities. This new collaboration provides a unique North American solution for commercial and U.S. government markets. The optical communication terminals are manufactured entirely from American-sourced parts, assuring secure solutions for critical domestic missions.

"Working with Ball Aerospace, combining our optical and space manufacturing technologies with Ball's extensive expertise in optical systems and solutions, creates a powerful world-class team to enable the transition of space communications into the optical communications era," said Marina Mississian, senior director Space Payloads, Honeywell Aerospace.