AUSTRALIA, DARWIN; SINGAPORE DEC 2024, Transcelestial’s commitment to advance global connectivity is taking a leap forward with the strategic backing of Paspalis Capital to bring laser communications (lasercomms) to Australia’s enterprises, defense assets, and space communications.
Paspalis will fuel this transformation with strategic resources, including capital and crucial in-market support. The partnership will enable Transcelestial to tap into the Northern Territory’s vast potential – spanning nearly 20% of Australia’s landmass – to sandbox laser communications infrastructure that serves both local and national ambitions.
“Australia has unique challenges when it comes to bridging the digital divide which Transcelestial has an excellent track record on resolving. While our terrestrial solutions can help, using space and drones to not only support the people and industries but also provide a secure connectivity paradigm for national security is very exciting to us. Transcelestial is a global leader in lasercomms and is expected to bring billions in economic opportunity to not only Northern Territory but also wider Australia – with R&D, Supply Chain, Advanced Manufacturing and giving the best and brightest in the country to work on the most important and exciting problems for the future. This isn’t just about upgrades to infrastructure – it’s about pioneering how an entire continent stays connected to our vision for global connectivity and pushes the boundaries of human exploration beyond Earth,” said Rohit Jha, CEO and Co-Founder of Transcelestial.
The company's expansion through Northern Australia launches three initiatives:
- Breaking through Australia’s remote connectivity barriers with lasers
First, Transcelestial’s CENTAURI laser communication system will address Australia’s remote connectivity challenges where traditional communications infrastructure is costly or impractical to deploy. The system enables mining operations, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities to access enterprise-grade connectivity without the extensive groundwork and complexity of fiber infrastructure.
- Upgrading defense assets with ground-to-drone laser capabilities
This terrestrial breakthrough extends skyward through a pioneering defense initiative nearby defense infrastructure. In 2025, Transcelestial will demonstrate next-generation, non-jammable ground-to-drone communications, paving the way for advanced defense applications that will secure Australia’s communications across land, sea, and air. Subsequently, a version of the Terabit Factory dedicated to a small batch manufacturing of this drone terminal technology is expected to be established here bringing supply chain investments and jobs to the local community.
- Pioneering Australia’s first laser-based gateway to space communications
Transcelestial is planning to establish Australia’s first commercial laser-based optical ground station called TMOGS (“Transcelestial Mother of All Ground Stations”) in Alice Springs in 2025. This landmark facility will leverage the location’s unique advantage of clear weather days, low light pollution and stable atmospheric conditions. It will be one of the first international sites outside Singapore to test Transcelestial’s breakthrough modular optical ground station technology to deliver space-to-ground laser communication, connecting directly into a multi-cloud gateway (MCG).
Left to Rohit – Dr Mohammad Danesh (CTO & Co-Founder, Transcelestial), Alex Farrugia (Paspalis)
“This investment marks a pivotal moment in Australia’s space journey. By establishing this cutting-edge optical ground station in Alice Springs, Transcelestial is not just enhancing our nation’s space capabilities, but positioning Australia as a key player in the future of global space communications. This project will be our giant leap forward for space innovation, attracting international partnerships and fostering a new generation of space technology experts right here in Australia.” said Alex Farrugia, Investment Manager at Paspalis
Transcelestial’s first breakthrough in Australia took place when the team pioneered the world’s first commercial 5G over lasers at the University of Technology Sydney. Transcelestial has raised $24mn so far over publicly disclosed investment rounds, investors include Airbus Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Airtree Ventures, Wavemaker Partners, Kickstart Ventures, Michael Seibel (CEO of Y-Combinator, Founder of Twitch.tv), Charles Songhurst (Microsoft’s former Head of Corporate Strategy) and more.
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For press inquiries and requests, please contact: Rachael De Foe ([email protected]) For more, visit our website www.transcelestial.com OR follow us on Twitter (@trans_celestial) For sales enquiries, please contact: [email protected]
About Transcelestial:
Transcelestial has mass-produced a solution for superfast global Internet distribution that leverages its proprietary wireless laser communication technology to create a wireless distribution network between buildings, traditional cell towers, street-level poles and other physical infrastructure – with a much lower total operating cost for Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers and enterprises.
Transcelestial aims to develop a constellation of LEO satellites allowing their laser network to not only connect inter-cities but upwards in space to connect continents globally.
Transcelestial has won numerous industry and global awards such as Most Frontier Company by Asiastar10x10, SPIFFY San Andreas Award for Most Disruptive Technology by Telecom Council, Forbes 30 Under 30 to their CTO Dr. Mohammad Danesh, Edge 35 Under 35 to their CEO Rohit Jha, The Most Ambitious Start-Up in Photonics Award by The Optical Society (OSA).
About Paspalis:
Paspalis is the first and leading innovation investor in the Northern Territory, dedicated to supporting high-growth innovation companies locally and globally. Their mission is to harness the potential of these companies in emerging sectors within Australia’s North. Paspalis actively co-invests alongside public and private institutions, including the Northern Territory’s Local Jobs Fund. They invest in both Australian and offshore high-growth companies seeking to expand their businesses in the Northern Territory. Read more about Paspalis at paspalis.com.au
