Reuniwatt, specialist in cloud-cover prediction and solar irradiance forecasting, is taking part in the SOLiS project. Leveraging its expertise in cloud prediction, the company contributes to advancing satellite-based optical communications — a key technology for achieving ultra-fast, secure data transfer between Earth and space. Our work was presented in a recent article by Bernard Grollier in Les Echos published on July 17, 2025. Here we share some highlights and provide an overview of Reuniwatt’s work in satellite communications. You can read the full Les Echos article online.
Reuniwatt’s cloud expertise powers secure satellite communications
The European Commission’s VERTIGO project, and CNES’s CO-OP, DYSCO, and now SOLiS projects have benn focusing on research and development of free-space communications, seeking to demonstrate very-high-data-rate space optical links transmitting through the atmosphere. Reuniwatt’s unique cloud cover expertise has made the company a trusted partner in next-generation satellite communication projects. “Satellite communication, with data transmission speeds reaching up to 1 terabit per second, represents the market of the future,” says Nicolas Schmutz, Founder and CEO of Reuniwatt. Laser beams used to transfer data between space and the ground are significantly disrupted by dense cloud layers. Having accurate, expert knowledge of cloud formations allows operators to schedule laser transmissions at the optimal moment.
Since 2013, Reuniwatt has collaborated with the Saint-Exupéry Research Institute and participated in Airbus Defence and Space’s CO-OP project, which tested ultra-high-speed optical links between Earth and geostationary satellites. With SOLiS led by Thales Alenia Space, Reuniwatt is entering a new phase: helping develop an optical terminal that will enable real-time, secure communication between ground stations in Nice and Cyprus.
SOLiS: Building the future of high-speed space data networks
The SOLiS project — for Service Optique de Liaisons Spatiales Sécurisées (secure optical space link service) —aims to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of an optical communications service relying on geostationary satellites. It will evolutionize data transfer by interconnecting multiple ground stations through satellites, ensuring stable, high-speed communication even when traditional fiber networks fail. Reuniwatt’s role is critical: by predicting cloud conditions above each station, its technology will help optimize laser routing and maintain uninterrupted connectivity. The Greek satellite carrying the SOLiS optical terminal is scheduled for launch in 2029, marking a major milestone in secure optical space links.
