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NASA's PExT Mission Extends to 2027 for Space Comms
6 Jun
Summary
- PExT technology enhances spacecraft interoperability across multiple satellite networks.
- The mission successfully transmitted data via NASA and commercial satellite systems.
- Extended operations phase will test direct Earth communications and advanced software.
NASA's experimental Polylingual Experimental Terminal (PExT) mission has successfully concluded its initial phase, demonstrating enhanced interoperability for spacecraft communications.
Launched on July 23, 2025, aboard the BARD spacecraft, PExT was designed to enable data transmission through diverse government and commercial relay networks. This advancement moves beyond traditional single-network limitations by utilizing the Ka-band spectrum for flexible data transfer.
The mission accomplished its primary objectives in December 2025, successfully sending data via NASA's Tracking and Relay Satellite system and commercial networks from Viasat and SES Space and Defense. This success paved the way for an extended operations phase beginning in January 2026.
The extended mission, now running through April 2027, will focus on new demonstrations. These include direct communications links with Earth using SSC Space's ground station network, particularly at the Weilheim, Germany facility.
Furthermore, NASA is collaborating with Aalyria Technologies to showcase enterprise service operations via their Spacetime software. This aims to streamline planning and management for multiple missions, enhancing communication reliability and operational efficiency.
This initiative builds on prior work with the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and NASA's NextSTEP-2 program, fostering a more connected and interoperable space communications ecosystem. The project is managed by NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program.
