Published on: 2026-10-01
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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Today we talk about the team of the project “High-speed modem for small spacecraft.” The leader is Associate Professor and Senior Researcher at the Higher School of Applied Physics and Space Technologies, Sergey Zavyalov.
The project originated from practical experience operating the Polytech Universe satellite constellation. The project’s goal is to create a transceiver module for CubeSat-format satellites, providing a data transmission speed of over 1 Gb/s. To date, the university has launched six satellites into orbit. During their operation, it was discovered that the volume of accumulated data amounts to gigabytes, while the communication session duration is less than 10 minutes. This led to the realization that the data transmission speed needs to be increased to more than 1 Gb/s.
The project is positioned as a technological breakthrough capable of securing leading positions in the global space industry. The results will be competitive in the Russian market, including due to the lack of equivalents, and possess significant scientific capacity for advanced research.
The development of a new modem will significantly increase the efficiency of the entire satellite constellation. This year, the project team is engaged in prototyping the modem and testing its performance characteristics. The main feature of the prototype is the ability to synchronize the time scales of ground stations. This function will be in demand for navigation tasks, for example on the Northern Sea Route.
“The participation of our project in the ‘Priority 2030’ program provides the opportunity not only to engage in practical developments but also opens new directions for scientific research. The university’s support—both ideological and material—contributes to the demand for results in both science and the real sector,” — noted the project manager Sergey Zavyalov.
The socially significant result of the project consists in the active involvement of students and postgraduates in the development process, which contributes to the training of highly qualified personnel and the achievement of technological leadership. The team currently consists of 11 people. All of them are employees of the Higher School of Applied Physics and Space Technologies. The team was formed from students and postgraduates studying at the bachelor’s and master’s levels; some of them have already defended their candidate’s dissertations. The team’s main competencies lie in the field of signal processing and the development of telecommunications equipment.
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