NASA has successfully completed the first phase of an experimental communications mission designed to allow spacecraft to connect through multiple satellite networks. With the core goals achieved, the agency plans to extend the project until April 2027 to explore new partnerships and demonstrate additional capabilities.
The technology, known as the Multilingual Experimental Terminal (PExT), aims to improve interoperability between different satellite communication systems. PExT could help make future space communications more flexible and resilient by allowing missions to run across multiple networks.
Testing multi-network spatial communication
PExT launched on July 23, 2025, aboard York Space Systems’ BARD spacecraft. This mission was created to demonstrate that broadband communications technology allows spacecraft to transmit data over both government and commercial relay networks.
Traditionally, spacecraft communications have been tied to a single network. PExT takes a different approach by using the widely adopted Ka-band spectrum to enable the movement of data between multiple satellite systems.
The main objective of the project was completed in December 2025. During these tests, the terminal successfully transmitted data to Earth through NASA’s Tracking and Relay Satellite System and commercial networks operated by Viasat and SES Space and Defense.
Following this success, NASA began an expanded operations phase in January 2026.
Direct demonstration to new earth
The next phase of the mission will involve testing a direct communications link between the spacecraft and Earth using SSC Space’s worldwide ground station network.
As part of this effort, the demonstration will complete more than 50 direct connections with Earth via SSC Space’s partner ground station in Weilheim, Germany.
These tests are designed to demonstrate how data could be routed through relay satellites or communicate directly with ground stations if needed in future missions. Such flexibility has the potential to improve coverage, enhance reliability, and increase operational efficiency.
Advanced software for space network management
NASA is also working with Aalyria Technologies to demonstrate enterprise service operations using the company’s Spacetime software platform.
Enterprise service management provides a coordinated way to plan, manage, and deliver communications services for multiple missions through a shared software framework. NASA hopes to demonstrate that this approach simplifies operations, increases visibility of available services, and ensures reliable communications support throughout the duration of the mission.
This effort builds on several years of collaboration between Aliria and the U.S. Defense Innovation Directorate through the Hybrid Space Architecture Program. This effort, led by the U.S. Department of the Army, aims to create a more connected and interoperable space communications ecosystem where government and commercial satellite systems can work together seamlessly.
Through its participation, NASA will benefit from the investments made to advance the space-time framework while building on previous research conducted through NASA’s NextSTEP-2 program.
Supporting future NASA missions
This project is funded and managed by NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Beyond the current demonstration, this research supports NASA’s broader efforts to develop and validate commercial communications architectures that can support missions into low Earth orbit and ultimately further into space.
