Tech Command Investing Episode 7: The Optical Highway to Earth

The next internet revolution is being built in space, but its greatest vulnerability is right here on Earth: the air we breathe. For the multi-trillion-dollar promise of laser-based satellite internet to work, operators must first solve the problem of clouds and atmospheric turbulence. The company that can reliably forecast the sky holds the key to unlocking global, high-capacity connectivity.

In this episode of Tech Command Investing, host Alain Gavin is joined by Jean-Edouard Communal, co-founder and CEO of Miratlas. Miratlas is building the invisible foundation for optical communications; without their atmospheric data and forecasts, laser satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) simply cannot connect reliably to the ground.

This conversation unpacks the new operational realities of optical-to-orbit comms. We explore why the ground, not the satellite, is the real bottleneck and how Miratlas's network of "Sky Monitors" provides the data-as-a-service needed to make it work. This isn't just about weather; it's about translating atmospheric physics into actionable link budgets and operational revenue.

For strategic investors, we dive into why optical connectivity is inevitable, moving satellite comms from a niche RF market to a core part of the multi-trillion-dollar global telecom industry. We discuss the "chicken-and-egg" problem of ground infrastructure, what a realistic Phase 1 network looks like, and the critical dual-use applications for defense, from stealthy, unjammable comms to ensuring sovereign control of data.

This episode features a live demo of the Miratlas platform, showing how they map global cloud cover and turbulence to find the optimal locations for ground stations, balancing atmospheric conditions with existing fiber infrastructure.

📊 Watch the live platform demo from this episode in our show notes.

📚 Additional resources and books mentioned in this episode:

How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil

Figures: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2uq3717e1u5j1t9gtcmye/AAQxE1akNlk0NZlbNEPj6Fs?rlkey=i03ncqwcyyr89dknvm5jg7f83&st=j8qt8250&dl=0

💼 Are you a strategic investor exploring dual-use tech in space, defence or advanced comms? Let’s connect. Book a 1:1 here: 🔗 https://calendly.com/podcast-psion/30min