ERMES laser terminal
A laser terminal as small as 2U and about 1.2 kg that links satellites to each other or to the ground at around 2.5 Gbps.
Why it matters
Radio spectrum is crowded and slow to license. Laser links carry more data, are harder to jam or intercept, and do not need frequency coordination, which matters for large constellations.
How the technology works
ERMES uses a narrow laser beam that spreads far less than a radio signal. Golbriak lists 15 W peak power and link distances of 10,000 km or more for the base model.
A sibling terminal, ARES, does the same for aircraft. Golbriak says customer-funded deployments are planned from 2027.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction