York Space Systems, a leading, US-based national defense and commercial prime providing a comprehensive suite of mission-critical solutions, announced that NASA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) have extended operations of the Polylingual Experimental Terminal (PExT) demonstration through 2027, following the successful completion of BARD mission objectives in 2025.
Launched in July 2025, the PExT payload is a first-of-its-kind wideband multilingual communications terminal operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), developed and executed in collaboration with NASA and the Johns Hopkins APL. Since launch, the mission has completed more than 100 on-orbit communication activities, successfully demonstrating forward- and return-link connectivity with NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system and validating interoperability across multiple commercial Ka-band relay networks.
These demonstrations confirm the feasibility of seamless roaming between government and commercial communications services, enabling future LEO missions to transfer commanding, telemetry, and science data without exclusive reliance on TDRS. The work also informs emerging approaches to modernizing legacy communications architectures. Instead of relying on a small number of large relay satellites, next-generation systems are increasingly designed as distributed networks of many spacecraft, expanding coverage and maintaining connectivity even if individual nodes experience degradation or loss. A proliferated LEO (pLEO) network could significantly increase connectivity while reducing latency and enabling faster technology refresh cycles aligned with commercial innovation, while maintaining compatibility with existing missions and enabling next-generation spacecraft to leverage advances in communications technology.
One key outcome of the PExT demonstration is the maturation of a wideband terminal architecture that future missions can baseline to reduce integration complexity, cost and schedule risk. The 12-month extension enables an expanded series of demonstrations throughout 2026 and into early 2027. Planned activities include increased interoperability testing and direct-to-Earth (DTE) communications with commercial ground service providers, supporting near real-time commanding, telemetry and science data transfer options for future science and operational missions.
“PExT is delivering exactly what demonstration missions are meant to prove: real capability on orbit,” said Melanie Preisser, EVP and GM of York. “The extension reflects strong on-orbit performance and allows us to further advance flexible communications architectures that combine government and commercial networks.”
By demonstrating roaming across multiple relay services including government and commercial networks and direct-to-Earth ground stations – PExT is helping shape the next generation of resilient, scalable space communications infrastructure in LEO. In parallel, York is implementing mission tasking automation enhancements to support additional demonstrations this year, including expanded DTE testing with commercial providers. These upgrades increase operational efficiency and enable more dynamic testing scenarios as the mission continues through 2027.
“Expanding the PExT mission reinforces York’s momentum across both commercial and national security missions,” Preisser added. “It demonstrates York’s ability not only to deliver on orbit, but to expand operational programs as customer needs evolve.”
PExT remains an operational demonstration actively contributing performance data and operational insight to the evolution of resilient, distributed space-based communications architectures.
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