Irish satellite optical communications company Mbryonics is partnering with NTT to develop optical networking technology for space communications, reflecting a broader push to make orbital networks operate more like terrestrial telecom infrastructure.

The companies describe their vision as an "internet in space," a standardized communications layer that would enable different satellite constellations, orbital transport networks, and terrestrial infrastructure to interoperate more seamlessly. Under the model, optical links between satellites would play a role similar to backbone infrastructure in terrestrial telecom networks.

The agreement focuses on integrating NTT's coherent digital signal processing (DSP) technology into Mbryonics' optical communications platform, creating high-speed optical links between satellites and ground infrastructure. The companies said the collaboration is intended to improve interoperability across different satellite constellations. The broader goal is to enable terrestrial and space-based networks to operate as a unified communications fabric.

The partnership comes as satellite operators, telecom providers, and cloud companies increasingly look beyond traditional radio-frequency links toward optical communications capable of supporting growing bandwidth demands from direct-to-device (D2D) services, cloud connectivity, and AI workloads.

Under the agreement, Mbryonics will become the first company to integrate NTT's DSP technology into its optical transceiver platform. The companies said the resulting systems will support deployment across low-Earth orbit (LEO), medium-Earth orbit (MEO), and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) networks.

The collaboration is built around three objectives: creating standardized high-speed links between satellite networks, supporting global deployment of optical transport infrastructure, and enabling closer convergence between terrestrial fiber networks and space-based communications systems.

"Technology is only as powerful as the network it supports," Mbryonics CEO John Mackey noted in a statement. "Partnering with NTT allows us to scale our vision for the 'internet in space.'"

Mackey added that the companies aim to create infrastructure capable of supporting future D2D connectivity, cloud services, and AI applications delivered through satellite networks.

The announcement reflects a broader industry push toward integrating non-terrestrial networks into mainstream telecommunications infrastructure. Earlier this year, NTT DoCoMo executives described future 6G networks as inherently three-dimensional, combining terrestrial infrastructure with both LEO and GEO satellite systems to create a unified communications architecture.

NTT is pursuing its space ambitions under the company’s C89 initiative, which focuses on optical networking technologies designed to extend terrestrial communications capabilities into orbital environments. Through the new partnership, NTT's DSP technology will be used to support optical links both between satellites and between satellites and ground stations.

"Through this collaboration, our advanced DSPs will empower satellite networks, enabling high-capacity optical links not only between satellites but also between satellites and ground stations," NTT SVP Minako Tsumenaga added.

The companies did not disclose financial terms or provide a timeline for commercial deployment.