Australia Japan partnership to accelerate laser links for satellites

Australia Japan partnership to accelerate laser links for satellites
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 30, 2025

A new collaboration between the University of South Australia, Adelaide start-up RapidBeam, and Japan's Warpspace aims to speed development of next-generation space laser communications. The agreement targets faster, more secure, and more reliable data transfer than today's radio-based systems for missions spanning Earth observation to deep space.

At the core is Warpspace's HOCSAI optical modem. The partners will integrate and test HOCSAI within the Australasian Optical Ground Station Network, a UniSA-led laser communications network across Australia and New Zealand, validating interoperability, standards compliance, and robust performance in satellite-to-satellite and space-to-ground trials.

"Free-space optical communications will be critical for future connectivity," says UniSA Mike Miller SmartSat Chair in Telecommunications, Professor Craig Smith. "By combining our research expertise with industry innovation, we are helping to build resilient, high-capacity networks that will support space missions from low Earth orbit right through to deep space."

Warpspace Group Chief Strategy Officer, Hirokazu Mori, said the effort advances Japan-Australia cooperation: "Working with RapidBeam and UniSA allows us to accelerate the development of new technologies and expand into Australia's fast-growing space sector," he says. "Together we anticipate breakthroughs that will benefit both countries and the global industry."

RapidBeam will align the work with its plan for a sovereign direct-to-smartphone 5G satellite constellation serving emergency services, defense, and remote communities. According to founder Adi Rajendran, "laser satellite communications will be the backbone of secure, high-capacity networks."

"Warpspace's modem is a major step forward, directly supporting our plans for a constellation that can keep people connected on Earth and ultimately pave the way for interplanetary communications." RapidBeam participated in UniSA's Venture Catalyst Space accelerator in 2024, delivered by the Innovation and Collaboration Centre.

The partnership leverages UniSA's internationally recognized free-space optical communications capabilities, including specialist test ranges and ground stations, while Warpspace advances seamless optical links and RapidBeam focuses on critical-user connectivity that scales from LEO to deep space.