Building on its network of 60 global IX locations that connect more than 4,000 providers, DE-CIX aims to extend this reach to low-Earth orbit constellations and other orbital infrastructure. "Wherever networks are created, interconnection should follow," explained Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX. "We've spent 30 years building the Internet backbone on Earth. Now we're applying that same model to the stars."
As part of the European Space Agency's OFELIAS project, DE-CIX is working with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to explore laser-based communications that could vastly improve satellite data exchange. Optical links can outperform traditional radio systems but demand advanced algorithms to overcome issues such as cloud cover and atmospheric distortion. While OFELIAS addresses ground-to-satellite optimization, Space-IX focuses on linking orbital systems at scale.
British astronaut Tim Peake and other industry figures have floated concepts such as orbital data centers, once the realm of science fiction. Although still distant, progress in inter-satellite communication is accelerating. "As satellites become part of the digital supply chain, whether delivering broadband, powering AI, or supporting orbital analytics, we need an architecture that unites space and Earth into one seamless ecosystem," Ivanov added.
DE-CIX's expansion in India highlighted this shift, with the platform becoming the nation's first to integrate Starlink into its ecosystem. By bridging space-based and terrestrial networks, the company is addressing latency-sensitive applications critical to broadband, IoT, and real-time data services.
With the space economy projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, DE-CIX stresses that orbital networks must not remain isolated but interconnect intelligently with cloud platforms, content providers, and terrestrial systems.
Related Links
Space-IX initiative
Satellite-based Internet technologies
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