September 10, 2008: SA Photonics, an engineering company focused on photonics-based solutions, has won a US Air Force Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to build a space-qualified MEMS switch system, using Glimmerglass‘ Intelligent Optical switch module.

Under the terms of the contract, SA Photonics will build and test a ruggedized version of an all-optical 3D MEMS switch system, with the Glimmerglass switch as the core switch module, embedding the switch engine within a specialized housing suitable for use in space.

“The explosion in the amount of data gathered and shipped around the world is driving the expansion of satellite as well as terrestrial networks,” said SA Photonics president Jim Coward. “Optical switches offer enormous flexibility and efficiency in relation to their cost and physical size, so they are an obvious pick for space use.”

“We’re very pleased by SA Photonics’ and the Air Force’s confidence in our technology,” said Robert Lundy, CEO of Glimmerglass. “While our products are known for their field reliability and remote access management, this location will be the most extreme example of “remote” that we’ve encountered.”