Long-distance laser communication Optical connections between satellites with up to 100 times the bandwidth

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FAULHABER Drive Systems

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Communication between satellites is on the brink of a paradigm shift: With its recent TRL-6 demonstration, a US system provider shows how laser-based high-speed connections across orbital boundaries become feasible.

The US-based system provider BlueHalo has made a significant development step in space-based optical communication: The company successfully demonstrated a bidirectional two-terminal system for laser-based communication over long distances and multiple orbital planes (LEO, MEO, GEO). The technology is aimed at both security-critical government applications and commercial operators of satellite platforms.

The core of the development is laser-based optical terminals that enable significantly higher data rates, lower latency times, and a better power consumption to data volume ratio compared to classic high-frequency communication (HF). The terminals used in the demonstration were specifically aimed at geostationary communication links, where bandwidth increases by a factor of 10 to 100 compared to conventional HF systems could be achieved. Simultaneously, jitter—one of the critical interference factors in optical connections—was compensated through adaptive line-of-sight stabilization. For comparison, the DLR developed a Cubesat-compatible system (CubeLCT) with 100 Mbit/s—an increase by a factor of 100 compared to typical Cubesat radio connections.

Technical focus of the demonstration

During the test, two autonomous optical communication terminals were operated under space-like conditions. The systems successfully completed complex processes such as Precision Pointing, Acquisition, and Tracking (PAT). This involved calibrating laser sources with transmission strengths that enable reliable bridging of inter-satellite communication links (crosslinks) across various orbit altitudes. The simulation included influences such as vibrations, thermal fluctuations, and operation in a vacuum.

With the achievement of Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6), it was demonstrated that the system operates in a realistic operating environment—a crucial step towards the series-ready integration into future satellite missions. The robustly designed platform enables both inter-satellite links (ISLs) within a constellation and connections across orbital boundaries.

For developers of electronic subsystems, BlueHalo's advancement means an expansion of design requirements:

• Optoelectronic precision mechanics for highly accurate beam guidance during dynamic attitude changes

• Laser sources with modifiable power and spectral purity, suitable for vacuum conditions and thermal extremes

• Precision mechanically coupled tracking subsystems with real-time control algorithms based on FPGA/SoC

• Security architectures for data encryption at the photon level (quantum resilience)

• Thermal management and power supply for pulsed high-power diodes in orbital operation

Civil and safety-critical applications

According to BlueHalo, the system is aimed at both government actors focusing on strategic communication security and operators of commercial satellite buses who need to open up new communication paths in light of growing data volumes and latency requirements. Optical communication—especially in the context of mega constellations and hybrid architectures (for example, LEO-to-GEO)—promises a significant increase in operational efficiency. (heh)

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