Apolink Relays Data with Novel FCC License

Apolink has achieved a significant milestone by making contact with its first satellite, paving the way for an innovative data relay demonstration. This achievement was facilitated by a unique experimental license from the FCC, permitting S-band inter-satellite link operations. The IPoS-TDsM cubesat, launched on a SpaceX rideshare mission on July 7, is now authorized to receive signals from designated partner satellites on an unprotected basis.

The cubesat will store these signals and then forward them to approved ground stations. This technology is designed to establish low-power links over distances up to approximately 150 kilometers during line-of-sight passes. Apolink's CEO, Onkar Batra, explained that the system can digitize and transmit data from other orbiting satellites to the ground without altering its integrity, effectively serving as a transparent relay.

Singapore-based NuSpace is a key partner, with its NuLink-1 and NuLink-2 connectivity satellites involved in the demonstration. Previous lab simulations and tests using an active beacon from NuLink-2 helped validate the system's ability to process signals from different transceivers. Apolink is actively seeking additional backward-compatible partner satellites to further test this technology before deploying a larger network of 32 interconnected satellites. The company also has a partnership with Canada-based Galaxia for a satellite launch in 2027.