AccelerComm aids Eclipse Space's satellite architecture

AccelerComm has completed two engineering engagements with Eclipse Space on communications technology for the satellite company's next-generation spacecraft. The work covers the physical-layer architecture for both direct-to-device and broadband satellites.

The partnership brings together a UK communications technology specialist and a US satellite company founded by former members of the Starlink programme. Eclipse is developing customer-owned satellite constellations for governments and businesses seeking greater control over communications infrastructure.

Across the two projects, AccelerComm helped shape the physical layer used in Eclipse's spacecraft design. That included work on a digital beamformer concept intended to support both direct-to-device and broadband connectivity from a common satellite platform.

Its technology also underpins Eclipse's modem architecture. Combined with software from other partners, the system is intended to support standards-aligned Narrowband NTN and 5G New Radio NTN services.

Direct-to-device satellite links are drawing growing interest across the telecoms and space sectors because they promise connectivity without specialised user equipment. But the approach is technically difficult: signals must travel long distances between satellites and standard mobile handsets, which have limited antenna size and transmission power.

That makes beamforming, signal processing and error correction central to service reliability and satellite efficiency. AccelerComm focused its work with Eclipse on these physical-layer decisions at an early stage of development.

Architecture focus

The engineering work was intended to keep Eclipse's design aligned with 3GPP standards while lowering technical risk ahead of its first demonstration mission. Eclipse is building what it describes as turnkey constellation infrastructure, covering satellites, payloads, ground systems, launch and operations.

The company targets sovereign and enterprise buyers rather than consumers directly. That places Eclipse in a part of the market where governments and large organisations want more control over coverage, security and ownership of strategic communications assets.

For AccelerComm, the work extends its role in non-terrestrial network technology into the newer segment of customer-owned satellite infrastructure. The company focuses on Layer 1, the physical layer of the network stack, where radio signals are processed and transmitted.

David Helfgott, Chief Executive Officer, AccelerComm, described direct-to-device as one of the hardest problems in satellite communications.

"Direct-to-device is one of the toughest engineering challenges in satellite communications, and success ultimately depends on what happens at the physical layer," said David Helfgott, Chief Executive Officer, AccelerComm. "Applying our flight-proven 5G NTN technology to Eclipse's beamformer and modem architecture is exactly where our expertise can make the greatest difference. These engagements demonstrate that we can help customers solve critical architectural questions early, combining deep engineering support with an IP portfolio already proven in orbit."

The collaboration comes as satellite operators and telecoms groups work to integrate non-terrestrial networks more closely with existing mobile standards. Standards-based approaches are seen as important if satellite services are to interoperate with terrestrial mobile networks and conventional devices.

Sovereign demand

Eclipse was founded by engineers who previously worked on Starlink, SpaceX's satellite broadband network. Unlike operators that build and run their own constellations as retail or wholesale services, Eclipse focuses on supplying the underlying infrastructure so customers can own and operate their own systems.

That business model reflects a wider push by nations to secure communications networks they can control directly. Concerns about resilience, data security and strategic autonomy have increased interest in sovereign telecoms and space systems.

Derek Huerta, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Eclipse Space, said the company wanted to resolve difficult engineering issues as early as possible.

"Our model depends on making the hardest engineering decisions correctly, early and efficiently," said Derek Huerta, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Eclipse Space. "AccelerComm's depth of expertise in the 5G NTN physical layer helped sharpen our payload specifications and gave us greater confidence in the path toward our 2027 demonstrator and future operational constellations."

The work on beamforming and modem architecture is intended to support a scalable platform that can serve more than one connectivity model. That would allow Eclipse to pursue direct-to-device and broadband services while keeping a common spacecraft architecture underneath.

AccelerComm's contribution centres on the layer of the system where efficiency matters most to satellite economics. In orbit, every gain in signal handling, power use and hardware design can affect payload cost, service quality and the number of users a satellite can support.

The engineering work also highlights the growing overlap between the telecoms supply chain and the satellite sector. As mobile standards move further into non-terrestrial networks, specialist vendors once focused on terrestrial radio systems are finding a larger role in space-based communications.

Eclipse is developing an integrated offering spanning satellites, payloads, ground systems, launch and operations for customers seeking ownership of constellation infrastructure.