Open Cosmos Sets 192-Satellite Baseline for ConnectedCosmos LEO Network
Open Cosmos has confirmed that 192 satellites will form the initial core of its ConnectedCosmos LEO connectivity constellation, with more than 96 spacecraft targeted to be in orbit by the end of 2028 and global coverage planned for 2030.
ConnectedCosmos is being developed primarily for government, institutional and commercial customers requiring secure and resilient communications. The architecture is intended to provide nationally governed capacity for moving high-volume data, including imagery, video and large datasets, while supporting operations in environments where GNSS or terrestrial communications infrastructure may be disrupted.
A central feature will be optical inter-satellite links, allowing traffic to be routed between spacecraft before reaching its destination rather than depending continuously on terrestrial gateways or subsea fibre infrastructure. Open Cosmos also plans to combine the communications network with its Earth observation activities, using ConnectedCosmos as a transport layer for satellites deployed through dedicated customer missions and its federated OpenConstellation system.
The company says its European manufacturing infrastructure is capable of producing one satellite per day and is considering a federated model under which independently owned European satellite systems could interoperate with ConnectedCosmos. The 192-satellite figure is therefore being positioned as a starting architecture rather than a fixed upper limit, with additional capacity potentially added as customer demand develops.
The announcement follows Open Cosmos' recent €300 million funding round, part of which is intended to expand satellite manufacturing and accelerate ConnectedCosmos deployment. Additional launches are being discussed for late 2026 through mid-2027. The project adds another European LEO architecture focused on sovereign connectivity and space-based data transport, combining broadband communications and Earth observation more closely than conventional standalone satcom constellations.