MILAN – Officina Stellare, an Italian manufacturer of advanced opto-mechanical systems, has signed a 1.84 million euro ($2.0 million) contract with the Barcelona-based Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), the company announced March 17.
The contract covers the design and construction of an optical ground station for future laser and quantum-encrypted space-to-Earth communications. The infrastructure will include core optical ground station components, from telescope to dome, from testing platforms to fully integrated control software.
“The station is conceived to be compatible with both laser and quantum communication applications,” Pierpaolo Pergola, Officina Stellare’s chief commercial officer, told <em>SpaceNews.
The infrastructure will be designed to support classical optical telecommunications, while incorporating a cryptographic architecture already prepared for future secure Earth-space communications for European users.
“The work aligns with European objectives to secure competitive leadership in quantum and photonic technologies,” Pergola added. “By strengthening the base for secure optical and quantum links, the project supports the national and European push toward autonomy, higher-capacity connectivity, and robust space-to-ground integration.”
Founded in 2009 as a telescope manufacturer for Earth observation from space, Officina Stellare went public in 2019 and has since expanded beyond optics into laser communications, surveillance, ground systems and cybersecurity. This contract follows an October 2025 agreement with the U.S.-based Skyloom Global Corp. to manufacture laser communication optical systems for the European market, as well as a merger, again in October 2025, with Global Aerospace Technologies Group, an industrial holding platform controlled by Investindustrial Growth III SCSp, a Luxemburg-based private equity group.
The optical ground station for ICFO is planned to serve civilian applications only.
“The project advances key capabilities in laser communication systems designed to boost bandwidth, reduce latency, and enhance link resilience for next-generation networks,” Pergola said Officina Stellare’s vision, explained Pergola, is to develop space-based laser communication terminals that can be embarked on any satellite in low, medium and geostationary orbit, combining high performance with scalable production.
The station is expected to be completed within six months and to become operational within 12 months.