Archangel Lightworks has successfully completed field trials of the TERRA-M deployable operational optical ground station.
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Press Release, Oxford, 27 May 2026: [extracts] Archangel Lightworks, the laser communications company, has successfully completed field trials of the TERRA-M, the world’s smallest deployable operational optical ground station, proving its capability.
The news was warmly welcomed by Liz Lloyd, the UK Space Minister, and the trials were funded by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Data was securely and rapidly transferred between the TERRA-M and a satellite in low Earth orbit over the course of a multi-day field trial in the Mediterranean region earlier this month. The field trials used the US Space Development Agency laser communication standard and were repeated across multiple passes to prove reliability.
The TERRA-M is a small fraction of the size of traditional optical ground stations with an optical head standing just 1.1m tall and 0.7m in diameter. It does not require an external dome, is easily transportable by light vehicle or aircraft, and can be readily deployed on the roof of a building. TERRA-M units and ground-station-as-a-service contracts are already being purchased by, and delivered to, customers.
[© Archangel Lightworks]
“The TERRA-M is uniquely capable of rapid, secure data transfer with satellites while also being small enough to be deployed and redeployed at the point of need,” said Richard Johanson, CEO of Archangel Lightworks.
“We are on a pathway to providing resilient, large-scale deployable networks of optical ground stations,” added Johanson, “the demand for space-based information and connectivity solutions continues to grow exponentially, and we are pleased that our technology will play a role in this exciting new global communications infrastructure.”
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “Archangel Lightworks is a prime example of British innovation leading the world in next-generation space technology. The successful trials of the TERRA-M show the UK is at the forefront of laser communications, developing the kind of cutting-edge products that will underpin the future of global connectivity.”
The TERRA-M’s small size means it can easily be deployed far from existing communications infrastructure – i.e. at the ‘edge’ of networks. Unlike existing optical ground stations, it does not need a dedicated building of its own, or a fixed protective dome. Its modular design was developed to enable broad interoperability with a wide range of lasercom standards and terminals.
Laser communications to and from satellites is a key component of next-generation space infrastructure, supporting rapidly-increasing satellite traffic and providing a high volume, secure alternative to radio-based data transmission. Satellite internet backhaul and earth observation data transfer are among the principal applications of laser communications, which also support space exploration missions such as Artemis. The technology has both commercial and defence applications, and bypasses the vulnerabilities associated with terrestrial and subsea cables. It also has the potential to bring high volume satellite communications to communities and thereby reduce the digital divide. As compute moves into orbit through the use of orbital data centres, optical ground infrastructure will play an increasingly important role in seamless connectivity between networks in space and networks on the ground.
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