Wideband Terminals
NASA is working with private industry to develop wideband terminals, an emerging technology that empowers missions to seamlessly communicate across both government and commercial networks for the very first time.
Wideband Quick Facts
Cellular Roaming
Cell phone providers adopted roaming technology long ago, allowing devices to jump from network to network without interrupting service.
Interoperability
Wideband terminals will enable similar roaming capabilities for space communications applications.
Flight Demo
NASA has partnered with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) to launch the first wideband flight demonstration, called PExT.
Commercialization
Over the next decade, NASA missions will transition towards adopting commercial space-based relay services to fulfill their near-Earth communications needs.
Proven Technology
Wideband terminals use software defined radios (SDR) to enable waveform change while spacecraft are in-orbit.
Flexibility
SDR technology will support the adoption of new and evolving commercial services by missions as they become available in the near-future.
Lab-Proven Technology
Wideband terminal technology was lab proven in 2021 by both NASA Glenn and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). NASA’s groundbreaking roaming experiments successfully switched services between NASA’s satellite system and a commercial satellite for the very first time.
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Technology Demonstration
NASA is testing wideband technology in space for the first time using a terminal called PExT, which launched in the summer of 2025.
Learn More About PExT about Technology Demonstration
Commercializing Communications
Commercial Communications
As the agency enters a new era of space communications, emerging science missions will now use commercial satellite relay services to complete their near-Earth operations. Wideband terminals will empower missions to share data seamlessly across multiple provider networks during this transition.
Learn MoreCommercializing Communications
Wideband Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about wideband technology? We have answers!
Publications
Explore recently published papers on wideband polylingual terminal technology.
Wideband Fact Sheet
Download our wideband technology fact sheet to learn more.
Space Communications and Navigation
Communicating with Missions.
NASA SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) is the program office for all of NASA’s space communications operations. SCaN’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network enable more than 100 NASA and non-NASA missions to explore the unknown, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the world through discovery.
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