Astrolight: Lighting the Path for Space-to-Earth Communication
Closing the Gap Between Space and Earth
Founded in Lithuania, Astrolight is addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the modern space economy: how to transmit the growing volume of satellite data back to Earth, securely, at scale, and in real-time. As the number of satellites in orbit surges, traditional radio frequency (RF) communication systems are no longer sufficient. Astrolight is solving this with laser-based communication systems that enable faster, jam-resistant, and higher-capacity data transfers.
Astrolight’s technology supports both space-to-space and space-to-ground optical links. Its modular platform, ATLAS-1, is designed to integrate flexibly with existing satellite infrastructure, while the company’s planned ground stations, including one in the Arctic, will anchor a full-service laser communication network across Europe and beyond.
In May 2025, the company closed a €2.8 million seed round, led by Balnord and joined by EIFO, Coinvest Capital, and other strategic investors. The round will fund further development and deployment of Astrolight’s optical communication services.
CASSINI: Connecting Astrolight to Capital and Partnership
Astrolight’s recent fundraising round was catalysed by the CASSINI Entrepreneurship Days 2024 in Prague – a flagship event organised by EUSPA to connect top European space startups with leading investors and other relevant stakeholders. It was there that Astrolight had additional meetings with Balnord, the deep tech-focused venture capital firm that would go on to lead its Seed round.
Beyond investor access, Astrolight also received support through the CASSINI Business Accelerator (CBA) to drive commercial momentum. Prior to the programme, Astrolight formed a strategic partnership with Cailabs (CBA Batch #1), a French deep tech company specialized in light-shaping technologies. This partnership was strengthened during the programme and the two alumni are now collaborating further to develop next-generation free-space optical communication.
“The support we received through the CASSINI Initiative has been very helpful in scaling our company. The CASSINI Entrepreneurship Days gave us valuable exposure to investors like Balnord, and the Business Accelerator provided a good platform to strengthen our partnership with Cailabs and refine our commercial approach.” – Laurynas Mačiulis – Founder & CEO, Astrolight.
Scaling Secure Connectivity Across Orbits
Astrolight’s vision is to become the optical backbone of space, offering laser communication as a service through a network of terminals and ground stations. The company is now preparing its first operational ground station and a demonstration of its hybrid terminal for both satellite-to-ground and inter-satellite links.
Rather than competing with existing satellite networks, Astrolight aims to integrate with them, providing the missing infrastructure that enables scalable, secure data transfer from orbit to Earth.
To learn more about Astrolight’s journey, visit Astrolight’s website.
To learn more about the CASSINI Initiative, visit CASSINI’s website.
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