The station will use advanced laser technology to deliver secure, high-speed data transfers from satellites in low Earth orbit that far exceed traditional systems. ESA expects construction to finish in late 2026, marking a major step toward meeting the growing needs of commercial and institutional operators.
Demand for Radio Frequency ground stations is rising beyond capacity as modern satellite sensors require faster data transfers. A World Economic Forum report cited in the announcement forecasts a 190 per cent increase in low Earth orbit satellites within the next decade, putting further strain on RF infrastructure.
Laser-based communication systems are expected to remove this pressure by cutting download times from hours to under a minute. This increase in speed and capacity will allow the station to support more satellites while offering more than ten times the throughput of RF stations at 70 per cent lower cost per gigabyte.
Once operational, the facility will be the northernmost of its kind, adding resilience and security to Europe’s communication networks. Laser communication also reduces interception risks and complements RF stations and undersea cables, which have shown vulnerability to external interference.
ARTES, ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems programme, is funding Astrolight’s station as part of its mandate to develop cutting-edge technology and stimulate economic growth. The project sits within ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications ScyLight programme, which supports European and Canadian industry in developing innovative satellite communication products.
The station will also strengthen scientific and public-service applications through high-fidelity, high-volume data downloads across optical, hyperspectral, radar and infrared imaging. Faster access to data will support search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring and scientific analysis of glaciers, wildfires, oil spills and maritime activity.
“Fast and secure optical data transmission is essential for keeping up with the rising data demands from next-generation satellites, while enhancing ground infrastructures enables operators and policymakers to improve crucial services for when our users need them most,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications. “With this project, we’re continuing to answer to European safety and security needs by transforming connectivity and secure communications from high latitudes. We look forward to further milestones, while further enhancing the resilience and sovereignty of our Member States with Astrolight.”
“The optical ground station in Greenland will bring near real-time, high-resolution satellite data directly within reach of Arctic Command and Greenlandic authorities, improving search and rescue reliability, disaster detection, and critical infrastructure management,” says Peter Stensgård Hansen, Managing Director for Astrolight Denmark. “By situating the facility in Greenland’s Arctic desert, which is often free from interfering cloud cover, we can ensure consistent performance, strengthening communication security for the region as a whole.”
ESA and Astrolight see the project as part of a wider effort to expand the business use of space-derived data across industries. The Kangerlussuaq station will strengthen Europe’s technological independence and security, alongside ESA’s broader work on laser communications such as the High thRoughput Optical Network, an in-orbit system aiming to demonstrate ultra-fast terabit-per-second data rates.
