Research & development
SkyFi6 SPACE™
Connectivity Beyond Earth
From Earth's atmosphere to lunar exploration and beyond.
Earthset over the Moon, photographed by the Artemis II crew, April 2026. NASA photo; animation added by Avionics Networks.
Our vision
More than rockets and propulsion.
At Avionics Networks, we believe the future of space exploration requires more than rockets and propulsion. It requires dependable communications, intelligent networking, and connected environments that support both spacecraft operations and the people aboard them.
Our vision is to extend SkyFi6™ technology into a new generation of embedded connectivity platforms for orbital facilities, lunar vehicles, and future deep-space habitats: onboard connectivity, crew communications, scientific equipment networking, embedded computing and future lunar communications.
Connecting people, machines and missions
One foundation, many missions.
Whether supporting an astronaut's personal tablet, scientific equipment, or the internal network of a lunar habitat, SkyFi6 SPACE is envisioned as a flexible foundation for mission-specific connectivity.
NASA photoCrew connectivity & entertainment
Imagine astronauts traveling to the Moon with secure onboard Wi-Fi, access to movies and music, personal communications, digital libraries, and familiar connected devices. Long-duration missions should support crew comfort and wellbeing alongside mission productivity.
NASA photoSpacecraft & orbital networking
Modular embedded networking for payload monitoring, onboard research, crew devices, diagnostics, and local data services.
NASA photoLunar surface communications
Future networking solutions for habitats, rovers, research stations, and distributed scientific instruments.
NASA photoIntelligent edge networking
Onboard services, data prioritization, local storage, and networking architectures designed to remain useful when communications with Earth are limited or interrupted.
Research proposal
SkyFi6-LUNAR
An intelligent edge networking gateway for lunar exploration.
The research proposal would evaluate adapting SkyFi6 to provide:
- Local Wi-Fi for crew, tablets, scientific instruments, and onboard services.
- Edge computing and local content storage for offline operations.
- Secure segmentation of crew, research, and equipment networks.
- Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking integration with LunaNet-compatible systems.
- Radiation, thermal-vacuum, power, and reliability improvements needed for lunar use.
Building on an existing aerospace platform
Proven in the air first.
SkyFi6 is an established airborne embedded networking platform with documented MIL-STD-810 environmental test results and RTCA DO-160G Section 21 EMI test results under specified conditions.
Our research roadmap focuses on evaluating and adapting this technology for the additional environmental, reliability, security, and mission requirements of space applications.
Research partnerships
Let's build the connected future of space exploration.
Avionics Networks welcomes research collaborations with space agencies, defense research organizations, spacecraft manufacturers, commercial space companies, and technology partners.
Avionics Networks: Connecting Earth, Air, and Space.
SkyFi6 SPACE represents a proposed research and development direction. Spaceflight qualification, radiation tolerance, spacecraft safety integration, and mission-specific environmental compatibility have not yet been established. NASA photographs are shown for context only and do not imply NASA endorsement.