NASA’s Polylingual Experimental Terminal, or PExT, has completed its planned technology demonstration after successfully proving that a spacecraft can communicate through multiple satellite relay networks. The agency has now extended the mission to support new partnerships and additional capability tests through April 2027.
A More Flexible Way to Communicate in Space
PExT launched on July 23, 2025, aboard York Space Systems’ BARD spacecraft. The terminal was designed to test whether wideband communications technology can allow missions to send data across both government and commercial networks instead of being limited to a single satellite relay system.
The technology uses the widely adopted Ka-band spectrum, a high-frequency range commonly used for broadband satellite communications. By operating across compatible networks, PExT is intended to help future missions route data more flexibly, improving resilience, coverage, and operational efficiency.
Primary Demonstration Completed
NASA completed PExT’s primary objectives in December 2025. During the demonstration, the terminal successfully sent data to Earth through NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system as well as commercial networks operated by Viasat and SES Space and Defense.
The achievement demonstrates an important step toward interoperable space communications, where spacecraft are not locked into one communications provider or relay path. For missions in low Earth orbit and beyond, such flexibility could help reduce bottlenecks and improve continuity when one network path is unavailable or less efficient.
Extended Operations Through April 2027
Following the successful primary mission, NASA began extended operations in January. These operations will now continue through April 2027 and include new demonstrations with additional partners.
One major objective is to test direct-to-Earth forward and return links using SSC Space’s global ground station network. NASA plans to complete more than 50 direct links to Earth through SSC Space’s partner ground station in Weilheim, Germany.
These tests will show how future missions may switch between relay satellites and direct ground station links, depending on mission needs, network availability, and data delivery requirements.
Aalyria Spacetime Software to Support Service Management
NASA is also partnering with Aalyria Technologies to demonstrate enterprise service operations using the company’s Spacetime software. In this context, enterprise service management refers to a coordinated software-based approach for planning, managing, and delivering communications support across multiple missions.
The goal is to show how shared management frameworks can improve service visibility, streamline operations, and help ensure that missions receive reliable communications support throughout their lifecycle.
Connection to Hybrid Space Architecture Work
The PExT extended mission builds on several years of collaboration between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and Aalyria under the Hybrid Space Architecture program. That program aims to support a more connected and interoperable space networking environment, allowing government and commercial satellite systems to operate together more effectively.
NASA’s participation allows the agency to benefit from earlier investments in maturing Aalyria’s Spacetime framework. The effort also builds on progress made under NASA’s NextSTEP-2 program.
Supporting NASA’s Future Communications Strategy
PExT is funded and managed by NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program, known as SCaN, in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
The demonstration supports NASA’s broader strategy to validate commercial communications architecture for future missions. As spacecraft operations become more data-intensive, especially in low Earth orbit and beyond, interoperable communications systems could become increasingly important for mission reliability and cost efficiency.
With its primary mission complete and extended operations underway, PExT is now moving from proof of concept toward broader operational testing. Its results could help shape how future NASA missions use a mix of government, commercial relay, and direct-to-Earth communications networks.