ISL

International Launch Services (ILS), has launched the first relay satellite of the European Space Agency’s (ESA), European Data Relay system (EDRS) or SpaceDataHighway, into geostationary orbit.

The Proton rocket lifted the satellite from a launch pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, which was part of the Eutelsat-9B telecom satellite system.

Following a test period, EDRS-A will start operations for its first customer, the European Commission’s Copernicus Sentinel satellites, by mid-2016.

Expected to provide high-speed laser communication in space at up to 1.8GB per second, SpaceDataHighway is capable of transmitting high-volume information from Earth observation satellites, UAVs and surveillance devices, or from a space station including the International Space Station (ISS).

Usually, low-orbiting satellites must appear within the purview of a ground station before sending information to Earth. However, EDRS gathers information from its higher, geo-stationary position through laser and instantly transfers it to the ground.

"The Proton rocket lifted the satellite from a launch pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, which was part of the Eutelsat-9B telecom satellite system."

The SpaceDataHighway system was jointly developed by ESA and Airbus Defence and Space through a public-private partnership (PPP), with an investment of €500m.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and eleven European countries are involved in the consortium developing the programme.

Airbus Defence and Space intelligence and security (CIS) business line communications head Evert Dudok said: "SpaceDataHighway is no longer science fiction.

"It will revolutionise satellite and drone communications, and help to keep the European space industry at the forefront of technology and innovative services."

ESA, Airbus and DLR will start testing EDRS-A’s overall health and performance from EDRS ground stations in Germany, Belgium and the UK.

The recently launched satellite, which will be operated by Eutelsat, expects to start relaying data for the ISS in 2018.

The second EDRS satellite, EDRS-C, is scheduled to be launched by next year. Once launched, it will join EDRS-A over Europe while the third satellite is planned to be launched in 2020, which will operate over the Asia-Pacific region, in a bid to double coverage.

Image: ISL launches the first laser telecommunication satellite of the SpaceDataHighway. Photo: courtesy of ILS.