Astrogate Labs, an Indian deep-tech company developing Free Space Optical Communication systems for space and defence applications, is working on India’s first indigenous Optical Inter-Satellite Link terminal, with flight readiness targeted for 2027. The company unveiled its Optical Inter-Satellite Link capability at Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, held from September 7 to 9 at BIEC. Astrogate Labs also demonstrated AstroLink Micro, its 10 Gbps space-to-ground laser communication terminal.
The development marks Astrogate’s expansion from satellite-to-ground optical communication to direct satellite-to-satellite connectivity. Astrogate Labs has already supplied an indigenously developed satellite-to-ground laser communication terminal to ISRO, making it the only Indian company to deliver this technology to the national space agency. Its space-to-ground laser communication terminals have reached Technology Readiness Level 8 and have been qualified for flight. The company has also completed cross-compatibility testing with the University of Western Australia’s TeraNet mobile optical ground station. The testing confirmed that Astrogate’s technology can work with international ground infrastructure.
Nitish K Singh, Founder and CEO of Astrogate Labs, said, “Some time back, laser communication from India was a research question. Today it is a product we deliver, with ISRO as a customer.” “OISL is the harder problem, and it is the one that will play an important role in building the connectivity layer for future low Earth orbit satellite constellations. We are developing this technology with end-to-end ownership in India,” he added.
As satellite constellations generate increasing amounts of data, conventional radio frequency communication systems are facing growing pressure on spectrum and bandwidth. Optical communication uses highly directional laser beams to provide high-bandwidth, secure and low-latency connectivity.
Optical Inter-Satellite Links allow satellites to communicate directly with one another and move data across a constellation before sending it to Earth. Astrogate is targeting applications including satellite backhaul, sovereign defence constellations and orbital computing.
Jayaraman Yogeshwaran, Co-Founder and CTO of Astrogate Labs, said the company is building on technology already developed for its space-to-ground terminals. “The Pointing, Acquisition and Tracking system, optical modem, stabilised tracking gimbals and system-level integration developed for our existing terminals provide a strong foundation for the OISL programme and support our target of flight readiness by 2027,” he said.
Astrogate Labs designs and manufactures indigenous Free Space Optical Communication terminals for space and other high-performance communication applications. Headquartered in Bengaluru, with an office in Durham, England, the company develops key technologies including Pointing, Acquisition and Tracking systems and optical modems in-house. The company is expanding its portfolio from space-to-ground laser communication terminals to Optical Inter-Satellite Links for future commercial and strategic satellite networks.
