This is our time: Industrialising TNO's optical satellite communication technology

To commercialise this technology, TNO is working closely with the Dutch private sector to enable it to build a leading international position in this rapidly emerging, highly competitive billion-dollar market. In 2024, for example, TNO launched a strategic partnership with FSO Instruments, a joint venture between Demcon and the VDL Group, which commercialises and industrialises TNO’s technology.

The Netherlands in the lead

‘TNO has been active in aerospace for 60 years, developing advanced instruments for telescopes and satellites. We’re now using that knowledge and experience in astronomy and Earth observation to force breakthroughs in laser satellite communication.’

Kees Buijsrogge, Director Space & Scientific Instrumentation at TNO: ‘The competition is fierce, but we in the Netherlands, with our many high-tech companies and knowledge institutions, hold all the cards to become an indispensable link for the world in this emerging technology. With our technological innovations, we aim to strengthen the position of the Netherlands and Europe in this rapidly emerging global value chain. That is why we’re actively partnering with Dutch technology companies.’

FSO Instruments

FSO Instruments is one such technology company. It develops, manufactures, and supplies high-quality instruments for free space optics. It is particularly focused on developing products for laser satellite communication, integrating TNO’s technology to mass produce them for commercial use. Within this partnership, FSO Instruments will be able to use TNO’s technology and expertise in optical modules and subsystems and components for precision alignment for a longer period of time.

Will Crowcombe worked in optical technology development at TNO for 10 years and is now the managing director of FSO Instruments. Will: ‘Optical communication provides fast, secure connections between ground stations, satellites, aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. This can be through space, but also over land or in the sea. Laser beams can be used to transmit large amounts of data over long distances. This requires highly sophisticated optomechatronics to ensure that the connections are reliable, secure, and fast.’

For this reason, TNO and FSO also collaborate in the field of research and development aimed at developing innovative technologies and applications for optical communication. While TNO focuses on early technology development and demonstration models, FSO Instruments focuses on technology industrialisation, manufacturing, and market development.

Will: ‘This makes TNO an important partner for FSO Instruments. Our collaboration, which industrialises valuable applied research into commercial products, is a textbook example of valorisation. This collaboration enhances our ability to create in the Netherlands the supply chain we need to be a leading international supplier of optical modules and subsystems for laser satellite communication.’

Will: ‘I hope that, in a few years, we will have established ourselves as a leading, state-of-the-art technology supplier that the Netherlands can be proud of. It’s amazing to work on this because of the technological and social challenges. I see it as a tremendous opportunity to further grow the ecosystem and won’t be satisfied until we’ve made an impact, both socially and economically.’