Laser-linked LEO mesh satellite constellation delivering secure, gateway-less connectivity.
Outernet
Laser-linked LEO mesh satellite constellation delivering secure, gateway-less connectivity.
Description
Outernet is Rivada Space Networks' low Earth orbit (LEO) mesh satellite constellation, described by the company as a point-to-point orbital mesh of laser-linked satellites built to deliver secure, sovereign connectivity independent of the public internet and terrestrial fiber. The network uses a gateway-less architecture, forming a private, global transport layer in orbit rather than a traditional bent-pipe satellite system that routes traffic through ground stations.
The constellation is planned as roughly 600 LEO communications satellites operating at approximately 1,050 km altitude, interconnected via inter-satellite laser (optical) links with onboard regenerative routing and switching payloads, forming an optical mesh network with pole-to-pole reach and latencies competitive with terrestrial fiber. Rivada markets Outernet capacity across six vertical markets: Government & Defense, Telecoms (carrier backhaul), Enterprise, Energy, Maritime and Aviation, with data rates advertised from 100 Mbps to multi-Gbps using MPLS/Carrier Ethernet/SD-WAN compatible network standards, including a demonstrated integration with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN.
Specifications
| Constellation size | ~600 LEO satellites (planned) |
|---|---|
| Orbital altitude | ~1,050 km |
| Inter-satellite links | Laser (optical), regenerative onboard routing/switching |
| Data rate | 100 Mbps to multi-Gbps, symmetrical and reverse-asymmetrical |
| Network standards | MPLS, Carrier Ethernet, SD-WAN compatible (incl. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN integration) |
| Coverage | Pole-to-pole |
| Target markets | Government & Defense, Telecoms, Enterprise, Energy, Maritime, Aviation |