Image: Muon Space
Muon Space has announced a new partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to integrate Starlink’s mini laser terminals into its high-performance Halo satellite platform. The agreement marks an industry first, introducing persistent optical connectivity in orbit and paving the way for real-time satellite operations.
Starlink’s mini lasers are designed to achieve link speeds of up to 25 Gbps at distances of up to 4,000 km and can be retrofitted for seamless integration into satellite manufacturers’ spacecraft. By connecting Muon’s Halo satellites directly to Starlink’s global in-space laser network, the partnership will enable near-continuous connectivity for customer constellations, reducing latency and allowing real-time tasking, command-and-control, and data streaming to anywhere on Earth.
“This is a sea change in how space systems operate,” said Pascal Stang, CTO of Muon Space. “With persistent optical broadband, Muon Halo satellites will move from being isolated vehicles to becoming active, real-time nodes on Starlink’s global network. That shift transforms how missions are designed and how fast insights flow to decision-makers on Earth.”
Michael Nicolls, VP of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, added: “High-speed, low-latency connectivity on orbit is foundational for modern space missions. By integrating Starlink mini lasers, Muon’s spacecraft can remain persistently connected through our in-space laser mesh, enabling real-time tasking, continuous command-and-control, and immediate data delivery to terrestrial points of presence. We’re excited to support Muon Space as they bring these capabilities to commercial missions.”
Muon’s integration of Starlink mini lasers will also benefit customers like Earth Fire Alliance’s FireSat constellation for wildfire detection and monitoring, cutting data latency from roughly 20 minutes to near real time. This would allow first responders to receive instant alerts and updates on new ignitions and evolving fire perimeters.
Muon has already begun integrating the Starlink mini laser terminals into its current customer constellations, with the first Starlink-enabled Halo satellite slated for launch in the first quarter of 2027.
This partnership comes shortly after SpaceX celebrated launching its 10,000th Starlink satellite into low Earth orbit. The company is also preparing to deploy next-generation Starlink V3 satellites next year, capable of adding 60 terabits per second of downlink capacity to the network — twenty times more than current V2 Mini satellites.
