NASA has successfully demonstrated a groundbreaking wideband technology, PExT (Polylingual Experimental Terminal), enabling spacecraft to seamlessly roam between government and commercial communication networks. This innovation promises more reliable data exchange, fewer interruptions, and enhanced flexibility for future space missions, extending capabilities from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars.
Key Takeaways
- Interoperability Achieved: PExT proves that government and commercial communication networks can work together seamlessly near Earth.
- Enhanced Reliability: Missions can switch between networks, ensuring continuous communication even if one network experiences disruptions.
- Future-Proofing: Spacecraft equipped with wideband terminals can integrate new commercial capabilities after launch.
- Extended Mission: The PExT demonstration has been extended for an additional 12 months of testing.
- Commercialization Push: Supports NASA’s plan to purchase satellite relay services from U.S. companies by 2031.
Revolutionizing Space Communications
NASA’s PExT technology demonstration is set to transform how space missions communicate. Much like smartphones roam between cellular networks, PExT allows spacecraft to switch between different communication providers, ensuring critical data for navigation, spacecraft health monitoring, and scientific data transmission is never lost. This capability is vital for the increasing number of government and commercial missions.
Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program, highlighted the mission’s impact, stating, "This mission has reshaped what’s possible for NASA and the U.S. satellite communications industry." He emphasized that the success near-Earth is just the beginning, with plans to extend these capabilities to lunar and Martian missions.
How Wideband Technology Works
Wideband technology facilitates data exchange across a broad spectrum of frequencies, effectively bridging government and commercial networks. This interoperability offers significant advantages, allowing missions to adopt new commercial network enhancements even after they have launched. Furthermore, it bolsters network integrity by providing a fallback option if a primary network encounters issues.
Greg Heckler, SCaN’s capability development lead, drew a parallel to early mobile phones, which were limited to a single network. "Our spaceflight missions faced similar limitations—until now," he said. "These revolutionary tests prove wideband terminals can connect spacecraft to multiple networks, a huge benefit for early adopter missions transitioning to commercial services in the 2030s."
Recent Demonstrations and Future Plans
The PExT communications demo was launched into low Earth orbit on July 23 aboard York Space Systems’ BARD mission. Developed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the compact terminal communicates using the Ka-band frequency, common to both NASA and commercial providers. Tests successfully proved the terminal’s ability to connect with NASA’s TDRS fleet and commercial networks from SES Space & Defense and Viasat.
During these tests, the terminal performed essential communications tasks, including real-time tracking, mission commands, and high-rate data delivery. The success of these demonstrations indicates that future NASA missions can be integrated with both government and commercial communication infrastructure.
Due to its flexibility and innovative nature, NASA has extended the PExT demonstration for an additional 12 months. New tests, including direct-to-Earth transmissions with the Swedish Space Corporation, are scheduled to begin in early 2026. The technology demonstration will continue through April 2027, supporting NASA’s goal to purchase satellite relay services for science missions from U.S. companies by 2031.
This initiative is managed by NASA’s SCaN Program and involved partnerships with York Space Systems, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, SES Space & Defense, and Viasat.
DiskSat Technology Launch
In related news, NASA’s DiskSat technology demonstration mission also launched to low Earth orbit on December 18, 2025. This mission tests a novel, flat, disk-shaped spacecraft platform designed to offer lower costs, broader scientific opportunities, and increased access to space compared to traditional CubeSats. The DiskSat design is particularly suited for very low Earth orbit operations, potentially enabling sharper Earth imaging and lower-latency communications.
Developed by The Aerospace Corporation with funding from NASA’s Small Spacecraft & Distributed Systems program, DiskSat aims to provide mission designers with greater flexibility and support NASA’s long-term exploration goals for the Moon and Mars, as well as Earth observation.
Sources
- NASA’s Wideband Technology Demo Proves Space Missions are Free to Roam, NASA (.gov).
- NASA’s DiskSat Technology Demo Launches to Low Earth Orbit, NASA (.gov).
Founder Dinis Guarda
IntelligentHQ Your New Business Network.
IntelligentHQ is a Business network and an expert source for finance, capital markets and intelligence for thousands of global business professionals, startups, and companies.
We exist at the point of intersection between technology, social media, finance and innovation.
IntelligentHQ leverages innovation and scale of social digital technology, analytics, news, and distribution to create an unparalleled, full digital medium and social business networks spectrum.
IntelligentHQ is working hard, to become a trusted, and indispensable source of business news and analytics, within financial services and its associated supply chains and ecosystems
