Officina Stellare S.p.A. has been awarded a new contract with the European Space Agency for the construction of a complete optical ground station for Laser Comm applications destined for the European Centre for Space Operations ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany.
Officina Stellare S.p.A with headquarters in Sarcedo (Vicenza), listed on the Euronext Growth Market (EGM) of the Italian Stock Exchange, specialized in the design and manufacturing of high technology opto-mechanical system instrumentation for the Aerospace, Scientific Research and Defense-related domains, has been awarded a new contract with the European Space Agency – ESA – for the supply of a complete optical ground station, for lasercom applications, with a duration of 24 months and a total value of approximately €3.5 million (of which, approx. €2.4 million pertaining to the OS Group). The project will see two development phases: the first relating to the design and development of the subsystems, the second to the prototyping and validation of the OGS, worth €1.5 million and €2 million respectively.
The project includes the manufacturing of the telescope, the ground station control system, the optical bench for fiber injection, and the analyzer of polarization states necessary for a future implementation of quantum encryption (QKD) protocols. The station will also include the photonic equipment necessary to implement optical communication, a high-power laser management system, and an environmental monitoring and surveillance system. The project, known as C3PO, involves collaboration among Officina Stellare, the German Work Microwave, the subsidiaries of the OS group, Dynamic Optics and ThinkQuantum, and Euroconsult.
The system will be designed to operate in an urban environment, both on the ground or positioned on the roof of the building for which it is intended, and will be used to carry out tests with satellites in LEO orbit. This aims to test the reliability of free space optical communications in use cases compatible with market needs, including banking, defense, and security sectors. Additionally, the system will be designed to be easily relocated and able to operate in difficult environmental conditions, such as the roofs of maximum-security buildings.
The industrial team for the C3PO optical ground station is led by Officina Stellare, which is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the adaptive optical system, with contributions from Dynamic Optics. Work Microwave will handle the optical digital modem, and ThinkQuantum will focus on the quantum cryptography aspect. Euroconsult, a consultancy company for local development and internationalization, also participates in developing this specific case-study.
“We are enthusiastic about this important opportunity. It is a further step forward towards the creation of an all-European laser and quantum communication infrastructure and confirms the pioneering capabilities of Officina Stellare in this area, which will be of fundamental importance in guaranteeing secure communications from attacks in all sensitive fields, such as finance, critical infrastructures, or military security,”
stated Gino Bucciol, Co-founder and VP of Business Development of Officina Stellare.
Thanks to this project, Officina Stellare consolidates its technical-engineering skills in the strategic field of secure optical communications and quantum cryptography.
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