TCI to assess CesiumAstro’s Skylark satcom terminal
CesiumAstro’s multi-beam Skylark Ka-band phased arrays enable high-performance inflight connectivity within a low-profile enclosure. Image credit: CesiumAstro
CesiumAstro, the Texas-headquartered provider of advanced space communications, and Istanbul-based TCI Aircraft Interiors (TCI), a global provider of aircraft cabin systems and in-flight connectivity solutions, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to assess the former’s Skylark multi-beam antenna system.
Within this framework, TCI will participate in Skylark’s integration and performance testing phases, supporting its progression from a flight-qualified product to a flight-demonstrated solution. Initial work will focus on system integration and performance testing, with the in-flight phase to follow upon successful evaluation.
The planned evaluation will begin with hardware and software integration and ground-based testing, followed by an inflight demonstration pending successful validation. The terminal is designed for high-capacity regional and widebody aircraft, and this program marks the first step in operationalizing Skylark in a commercial aviation environment.
“Skylark is built for what is next, not just what is now,” said Trey Pappas, Chief Revenue Officer at CesiumAstro in a 12 November press release. “This integration shows the industry that true active multi-beam airborne connectivity is not hypothetical. It is here, it is real, and it is ready for production.”
“As service providers race to meet the bandwidth demands of streaming-era passengers, Skylark offers a ready-now path to scalable performance at altitude,” said Ben Murphy, Senior Director of Business Development at CesiumAstro. “We are already talking to integrators, airlines, and constellation operators who want terminals that can grow with them, not hold them back.”
