English

The constantly developing world of all-weather laser satellite communication

1093
2023-12-01 14:18:23
See translation

Using light beams for communication is not a new idea, even outside of Star Trek, Star Wars, and other similar fantasy stories. Scientist and science fiction writer Arthur Clark predicted that beam communication, at that time modern satellite communication was just a dream.

 

In 1975, the magazine published an article about laser communication or laser communication equipment. The demonstration of optical communication technology occurred in the mid-1990s. For example, the Japan Communications Research Laboratory successfully demonstrated laser communication experiments on the Japanese Engineering Test Satellite VI in 1994, which was the first dedicated laser communication satellite used to demonstrate air to ground laser communication.

The reason for this interest in laser communication is that the optical communication systems we know today have several advantages over the currently used UHF, SHF, and EHF systems, including higher data rates, better signal-to-noise ratios due to higher directionality, no interference, smaller antennas, lower overall power requirements, higher spectrum availability, and narrower beams that are more difficult to intercept and interfere with, And establishing a network does not require coordination from the International Telecommunication Union.

As mentioned earlier, capacity has a major advantage. The spectrum is several thousand times larger than the radio frequency spectrum; Therefore, when the radio frequency ranges from approximately 300 Hz to 300 GHz, the spectrum ranges from approximately 400 to 800 terahertz. The frequency is so high that so many zeros are required, to the extent that optical communication systems are measured in nanometers, with 800 nm being a typical wavelength/frequency. Although the implemented data rate depends on the signal encoding scheme, generally speaking, they may be a thousand times higher than the rate in RF communication.

For many years, satellite laser communication has been a characteristic of the Ministry of National Defense's planning. Those involved in the ill fated transformational satellite communication program believe that it is necessary to connect TSAT's orbital laser satellite network with the global fiber optic network of the defense information system network, which connects the orbital laser ring in space to the ground global laser ring of the global fiber optic network. The solution is to deploy the Earth station in geographically dispersed mild weather locations to avoid the dissipation effects of rain, drizzle, clouds, fog, and dust.

This solution illustrates the drawbacks of known optical communication systems today. These systems have higher pointing accuracy required by satellites, increasing complexity and availability risks, and are noise sources for solar receivers. As mentioned earlier, they are the main interference factors in rain, drizzle, clouds, fog, and dust.

Despite atmospheric barriers, some experiments and systems are using air to ground lasers. Since the beginning of 2022, NASA's laser communication relay demonstration has demonstrated bidirectional laser communication from geostationary orbit.

The drawing board, brass plate, prototype, and initial launch of giant satellite constellations have multiple laser dependent networks. Telesat in Canada, with its constellation of light speed, may be a microcosm of laser communication networks, developing satellite to satellite connections on similar and different orbits. Although the system has been plagued by financial difficulties, design changes and increased investment seem to be putting it back on track. SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service has launched over 25 satellites, and last year it was confirmed that laser satellites were used to provide internet connectivity to several regions, even though it was only air to air. Low Earth orbit satellites have over 5000 systems and concepts, providing numerous proposals and contract requests for laser terminal manufacturers.

Source: Laser Net

Related Recommendations
  • Mears Machine Corporation achieves breakthrough in large-scale powder bed laser manufacturing

    Mears Machine Corporation has achieved a global breakthrough by manufacturing the world's largest single unit unwelded powder bed laser components. More details about this revolutionary manufacturing solution will be revealed in the coming months. "This milestone unlocks a new era in large-format metal additive manufacturing," said James Lloyd, CEO of Mears Machine Corporation. "We can now deliv...

    11-08
    See translation
  • Credo launches the world's first 800G DSP for linear receiving optical devices, targeting ultra large scale and artificial intelligence data centers

    Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd announced today the launch of the industry's first Dove 800 850G digital signal processor IC, which has been optimized for linear receiving optical devices and is also known as semi retiming linear optical devices in the industry. In LRO transceivers or active optical cables, only the transmission path from the electrical input to the output of the optical path i...

    2023-11-30
    See translation
  • Marvin Panaco launches the Mastersizer 3000 for laser diffraction particle size determination+

    Marvin Panaco, a subsidiary of Spectris plc located in Egham, Surrey, UK, announced the launch of its new laser diffraction particle size measurement instrument Mastersizer 3000+. Mastersizer 3000+utilizes integrated artificial intelligence and data science driven software solutions, providing method development support, data quality feedback, instrument monitoring, and troubleshooting recommendat...

    2024-03-22
    See translation
  • BOFA launches the latest generation of high-temperature 3D printing filtration technology

    BOFA has consolidated its position as a market leader in additive manufacturing of portable smoke and particle filtration systems with the latest generation of 3D PrintPRO technology designed specifically for high-temperature processes.3D PrintPRO HT focuses on the 230V market and can filter high-temperature particles, gases, and nanoparticles emitted during polymer processing in the printing room...

    2024-04-15
    See translation
  • ABB will add optical sensors to four greenhouse gas monitoring satellites

    ABB has signed a third contract with the global leader in high-resolution space greenhouse gas monitoring, GHGSat, to manufacture optical sensors for its C12, C13, C14, and C15 satellites. It is reported that C12, C13, C14, and C15 satellites are scheduled to be launched into orbit in 2024.These new satellites will join GHGSat's expanding constellation for detecting and quantifying industrial gas ...

    2023-12-06
    See translation