Apolink has made contact with its first satellite after launching on SpaceX's July 7 Transporter-17 rideshare mission, clearing the way for a data relay demonstration using a novel experimental license from the Federal Communications Commission.
The IPoS-TDsM (Interoperability Protocol over Satellite - Technology Demonstration Mission) cubesat is a 3U platform designed to receive S-band signals from other satellites in low Earth orbit at distances of up to 150 kilometers, then store and forward them to approved ground stations.
"We've got a first-of-its-kind experimental license for S-band inter-satellite link operations from the FCC," said Onkar Batra, CEO of Apolink. The license allows the satellite to receive signals from designated partner satellites on an unprotected and non-interference basis.
Singapore-based NuSpace is the primary demonstration partner, using its NuLink-1 and NuLink-2 connectivity satellites that launched in May. First conjunction windows are expected to open in July and continue through November.
The California-based startup, founded in 2024 with Y Combinator backing, plans to deploy a relay network involving 32 interconnected satellites. The technology could eventually allow satellite operators to send and receive command-and-control signals without waiting for ground station passes.