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pen Cosmos – the leading space company using satellites and data to solve global challenges has launched a new collaboration with Panasonic Operational Excellence Co. under the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund (IBF) to support the development of the next generation of connected satellite constellations. The joint project - QUIVER - aims to advance high-frequency and optical inter-satellite communications, enabling satellites to connect and share data directly in orbit.
As demonstrated at Nihonbashi Space Week in Tokyo, QUIVER brings together Open Cosmos’ leadership satellite constellations and Panasonic’s expertise in high-frequency telecommunications. The project explores faster, smarter and more autonomous ways for satellites to coordinate in orbit, from reducing latency, to increasing resilience and unlocking new applications for Earth observation, defence and disaster response.
The next-generation of connected constellations
As the number of satellites in orbit grows, the next leap in capability won’t come from launching more spacecraft but from enabling them to work together. Today, most coordination happens through ground networks, creating delays as data is downlinked, processed and re-uploaded. QUIVER brings together Open Cosmos’s expertise in satellite constellations and Panasonic’s leadership in high-frequency telecommunications with its proven 5G phased-array technology to explore ways to make coordination happen in real-time, in orbit.
During the six-month project, Panasonic will lead antenna design and analysis while Open Cosmos will test and assess integration into future missions. This is a critical step towards creating faster, smarter and more autonomous networks, especially as constellations are increasingly used to support environmental monitoring, energy security, defence and disaster response.
Rafel Jorda Siquier, Founder and CEO of Open Cosmos, said: “QUIVER represents the next phase of true international collaboration in space. With support from the UK Space Agency through IBF, we’re working with Panasonic to develop technologies that make satellite constellations faster, smarter and more autonomous. Together, we will power the next generation of space missions.”
Strengthening ties between space leaders
QUIVER is one of 23 collaborations supported through the UK Space Agency’s £6.8 million International Bilateral Fund, which promotes innovation and global co-operation in key space domains. The initiative reflects the goals of the UK-Japan Industrial Strategy Partnership and deepens bilateral ties in advanced manufacturing, AI and space innovation.
The two organisations are also exploring the potential for a future production line in Japan, with Open Cosmos providing satellite design and mission integration from the UK. This could generate significant export revenue for the UK over the next three years and create new high-value jobs across the supply chain.
Building momentum in a year of international growth
The QUIVER collaboration builds on a year of strong international momentum for Open Cosmos. Recent milestones include the £5.15 million Orpheus mission with Astroscale UK for the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the €1.65 million 6GStarLab project with Catalonia’s i2CAT to advance future 6G and non-terrestrial network technologies.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate Open Cosmos’s focus on sovereign capability, innovation through international partnerships and practical applications of space technology to solve global challenges. Insights from QUIVER, Orpheus and 6GStarLab will directly inform future missions and strengthen both the OpenConstellation, the company’s shared Earth Observation infrastructure, and DataCosmos, its cloud-based platform that turns satellite imagery into actionable intelligence.
