Jane Edwards 
- SES sent CEO Adel Al-Saleh’s video messages over an optical link
- Cailabs, Mynaric and Thales Alenia Space supported the Pathfinder 1 demo
- The meoSphere network is set to begin serving government users by 2030
SES has demonstrated a two-way optical communications link between a ground station and a payload in orbit through its meoSphere Pathfinder 1 mission, advancing work on its planned next-generation meoSphere network.
The satellite operator said Wednesday the demonstration validated technology intended to deliver greater capacity, security and flexibility for its future connectivity services.
What Did the SES Pathfinder 1 Demonstration Involve?
For the test, SES transmitted video messages recorded by Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES and a 2026 Wash100 awardee, between an optical ground station operated by Cailabs in Rennes, France, and an SES payload hosted on K2 Space’s Mega-class satellite under the GRAVITAS mission. A Mynaric CONDOR optical terminal aboard the satellite carried the link.
SES led the optical mission from design through operations and built the automation software used in the demonstration. Thales Alenia Space assisted with assembling, integrating and testing the system and helped run operations.
The company expects optical communications to make meoSphere’s data transport more resilient as data demand continues to grow.
What Did SES SVP Carmel Ortiz Say About the Demo?
Carmel Ortiz, senior vice president of MEO programs at SES, said the Pathfinder 1 results confirm the company’s vertically integrated approach of developing space capabilities through successive iterations.
“Together with our partners, we have successfully and repeatedly transferred data between space and the ground, demonstrating the performance of optical communications in an operational environment,” Ortiz noted.
She added that each completed step moves SES closer to the optical architecture expected to power meoSphere and help meet customers’ complex connectivity needs.
What Is the meoSphere Network?
meoSphere is SES’ planned next-generation medium Earth orbit satellite constellation designed to meet commercial and government demand for secure, high-performance connectivity, with operations targeted to begin by 2030.
The network will operate roughly 8,000 kilometers above Earth and is designed to increase capacity and data speeds while lowering terminal size and cost. Its flexible architecture will allow it to support multiple missions and customers at the same time. SES has also said the network will be compatible with Europe’s Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite multiorbital constellation.
In March, SES selected K2 Space to help develop meoSphere. Under the program’s first phase, K2 Space will build 28 high-power satellite platforms, each capable of delivering about 20 kilowatts, while SES will design and manufacture the software-defined payloads to be installed on them.
What Comes Next for the Pathfinder 1 Mission?
The Pathfinder 1 team plans to run additional tests aimed at sustaining the optical link for longer periods and increasing its speed and overall performance. SES said the findings will shape upcoming Pathfinder missions and support the maturation of the optical networking technologies at the core of the meoSphere constellation.
SES and K2 Space previously outlined plans to carry out a series of pathfinder missions over a three-year period to test satellite bus and payload components, refine operational concepts and reduce risk ahead of full deployment.
How Does the Optical Demo Fit Into SES’ Broader MEO Plans?
The Pathfinder 1 milestone builds on SES’ push to expand its medium Earth orbit capabilities. During the company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Al-Saleh said meoSphere will feature optical and radio frequency communications alongside software-defined payloads, a modular multiorbit architecture and sovereign network capabilities for government customers.
In July, SES Space & Defense agreed to provide relay connectivity for Starlab’s commercial space station through its LEO Relay Services, which route low Earth orbit traffic through the O3b mPOWER constellation to ground networks in near real time.
