Lasers regain momentum as Taara shrinks laser links onto a silicon photonics platform and Astrolight prepares in-orbit tests of compact laser terminals
Free-space optical (FSO) communications have existed for decades, but a combination of spectrum pressure, AI-driven traffic growth and new developments in silicon photonics is bringing renewed momentum to laser-based connectivity, both on the ground and in orbit.
Two announcements this week underline how the space is shifting [geddit?], with Google X graduate Taara unveiling a photonics-based wireless platform aimed at terrestrial networks, while European startup Astrolight prepares the first in-orbit test of compact laser terminals for small satellites.
Taara shrinks FSO onto a photonic core
Taara, spun out of Alphabet’s X Moonshot Factory and originally rooted in the now-closed Loon balloon project, has introduced what it calls the world’s first wireless communication platform based on optical phased arrays.
The company’s new Taara Photonics platform moves beam steering and control from mechanical systems into a silicon photonics module containing more than a thousand miniature light emitters arranged in an optical phased array. Its first product built on the platform, Taara Beam, delivers up to 25 Gbps over distances of up to 10 kilometres, using narrow infrared beams in unlicensed optical spectrum, according to company claims.
Traditional FSO systems rely on mirrors and mechanical tracking assemblies. Taara’s approach shifts much of that functionality into solid-state control, reducing size and complexity. The new Beam unit is designed in a compact, deployable form factor that can be installed on rooftops, poles or existing structures.
In an interview with IEEE Spectrum last year, Taara CEO Mahesh Krishnaswamy argued that the “middle-mile” – connecting fibre landing points and urban aggregation hubs to harder-to-reach sites – has become a more pressing bottleneck than the last mile. He said that almost 50% of the world sits within 25 km of a fibre point of presence, but difficult terrain, rivers or urban constraints can make trenching impractical.
Taara’s first-generation Lightbridge system, capable of 20 Gbps over up to 20 km, is already deployed in more than 20 countries with operators including Airtel, Digicel, T-Mobile and SoftBank. The new photonic core represents a further step in miniaturisation, with Taara aiming to shrink core components to chip scale over time.
The renewed push comes as operators grapple with densification, small-cell backhaul and AI-driven network traffic growth, while licensed spectrum remains finite and costly. By operating in optical spectrum, laser links avoid RF congestion and spectrum licensing constraints, though they remain sensitive to environmental conditions such as fog, starling murmurations, trees and what not. Taara Beam will make its public debut at MWC Barcelona 2026.
Astrolight takes laser comms into orbit
While Taara is targeting terrestrial middle-mile and metro connectivity, Lithuania-based Astrolight is preparing to test laser links in space. The company will conduct the first in-orbit demonstration of its low size, weight and power (SWaP) ATLAS-1 laser communication terminal aboard two small satellites launching on SpaceX’s Transporter-16 mission in March.
ATLAS-1 is designed to deliver space-to-ground optical links of up to 1 Gbps, using narrow infrared beams to connect satellites with optical ground stations in Greece as part of the ERMIS constellation and the PeakSat mission. Astrolight claims laser communication can offer data rates up to 100 times faster than traditional radio frequency (RF) systems and is inherently resistant to electronic interference and jamming.
As low Earth orbit becomes increasingly crowded and spectrum coordination grows more complex, small satellite operators face tighter RF licensing and interference constraints.
Astrolight’s CEO Laurynas Mačiulis said integrating optical links could reduce dependence on scarce RF spectrum while enabling higher-throughput downlinks for applications such as hyper-spectral Earth observation.
The Greek ground segment has been upgraded with an 808-nanometre laser beacon and compatible optical receiver to support the demonstrations. Astrolight is also developing a follow-on ATLAS-2 terminal aimed at both inter-satellite and space-to-ground links.
Familiar tech but new context
Laser communications are not new – C-band optical systems have been demonstrated for years, and earlier FSO deployments struggled with reliability and weather constraints. But solid-state beam steering, improved tracking algorithms and semiconductor-style scaling are changing the economics and form factors.
From rooftop nodes in dense cities to gigabit downlinks from small satellites, the technology is re-emerging at a time when both terrestrial and space networks are under pressure to deliver more capacity without relying solely on additional spectrum.
