Space Goes Wireless: A New Era of Cable-Free Spacecraft

Space tech rarely grabs attention unless something goes spectacularly right—or wrong. But sometimes the quieter developments are just as important. Ecliptic Enterprises’ latest announcement is a good example of that.

The Colorado Springs–based company, with more than 25 years of experience and over 220 missions under its belt, is expanding its space networking lineup. Building on its NASA human-rated Class 1 Layer 3 Ethernet Switch, Ecliptic is now moving decisively into wireless—with a trio of new products designed for spacecraft and space stations.

First up is a wireless access point built for space. It delivers high-throughput, reliable connectivity inside spacecraft while cutting down on cabling. That matters more than it sounds: less wiring means lower mass, fewer failure points, and easier integration—three things engineers obsess over when every gram and every connection counts.

Then there’s the wireless camera. Ecliptic isn’t new to space imaging—they’ve flown more than 500 cameras across those 220 missions—but this version removes the need for physical connections. It can handle both interior and exterior monitoring, supporting everything from crew safety to docking operations, while giving operators more flexibility in how and where systems are deployed.

The third piece, the wireless Remote Interface Unit (RIU), might be the most transformative. It connects instruments, modules, and subsystems directly to the spacecraft network—without dedicated cables. The payoff? Reduced cabling mass, faster installation, and simpler integration. It also opens the door to more modular spacecraft designs, whether for crewed missions, space stations, small satellites, or deep-space probes.

All three systems are designed to work seamlessly with Ecliptic’s existing hardware—Ethernet switches, routers, payload controllers, and modular avionics—so mission designers can source an entire wired and wireless architecture from a single provider.

To lead this push, Ecliptic has brought in Todd Zatorski as Networking Design Architect. His background is about as relevant as it gets: at NASA, he worked on the Lunar Gateway space station and at Johnson Space Center, where he helped manage infrastructure that included nearly 950 routers and switches and close to 1,000 wireless access points.

Zatorski’s track record is hard to ignore. He led a WAN redesign that cut costs by 94%, oversaw the migration of around 1,000 access points from Aruba to Cisco, and played a role in resolving a critical Mission Control outage. He’s also the first recipient of the AEGIS Shield Award for Implementing Innovation and has been recognized by the White House Communications Agency.

What ties all of this together is flexibility. The new products are available across three mission tiers—Rad Hard, Rad Tolerant, and Flight Heritage COTS—giving customers options to balance performance, durability, and cost.

Ecliptic systems have already flown on the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and multiple lunar and deep-space missions. With this wireless expansion, the company is betting that the future of space systems looks less like a tangle of cables and more like a fully connected, adaptable network.

Not flashy, maybe—but exactly the kind of evolution that keeps everything else running.