Almagest Space deploys its ELEVATION-1 E-Band satellite

Almagest Space deploys its ELEVATION-1 E-Band satellite
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 22, 2025

Almagest Space Corporation, a US-based leader in developing secure data relay systems for government and commercial use, has announced the successful launch and deployment of ELEVATION-1. This demonstration satellite carries the first-ever E-band communications payload, a critical step toward creating Almagest's high-performance data solutions.

Launched with the support of D-Orbit S.p.A. on January 14th, ELEVATION-1 was part of SpaceX's Transporter-12 mission from Vandenberg Space Base. The satellite was manufactured by XDLINX Space Labs in India, powered by Antaris' Cloud Platform and SatOS, and assembled by Ananth Technologies. XDLINX developed the E-band payload, utilizing components from Filtronic, Flann, and IQ Wireless. This complex mission was completed in just nine months from inception, a remarkable achievement.

The ELEVATION-1 satellite showcases significant advancements in satellite communication technology. It tests a miniaturized, space-grade E-band communication payload, with data and measurements aiding in the development of advanced models for Almagest's planned global ultra-high throughput (UHTS) LEO constellation. Deployment of the constellation will begin with the TWINSTAR Mission in 2026-2027, involving two FSO-connected satellites for high-throughput point-to-point services, and expand to over 100 satellites by 2030 to meet increasing demand.

E-Band's Role in Revolutionizing Communications

The underutilized E-band spectrum, comprising lower (71-76 GHz) and upper (81-86 GHz) bands, offers a vast 10 GHz bandwidth. This is significantly larger than the congested lower frequencies, such as S-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band. E-band technology enables fiber-optic-like speeds up to 100 Gbps, facilitating secure, high-capacity networks and improving data throughput for space-based communication systems. Almagest's global ITU filing in E-band underpins their plans to revolutionize satellite communications.

Raghu Das, Almagest's CEO and Co-Founder, remarked, "Almagest is thrilled to announce the successful launch of ELEVATION-1 on the Transporter-12 mission. Our focus now is on demonstrating the E-band payload's space-to-earth transmission capabilities, which will form the foundation for our quantum key distribution (QKD)-enabled 'zero trust' high-capacity UHTS network. This network will deliver speeds complementing fiber-optic systems."

He added, "We are committed to collaborating with technology and strategic partners-including terrestrial wireless carriers and independent global satellite network operators-to provide cutting-edge global space/earth and in-space bulk data relay services for government and commercial applications requiring ultra-high capacity and speed."