The European Space Agency, Airbus Defence and Space, and a Greek ground-station operator are testing laser communication links between CubeSats and a mountaintop station [1, 2].
This trial addresses the growing congestion of radio spectrums as the number of small satellites in low-Earth orbit increases. By shifting to optical networking, the agencies aim to achieve higher data rates and more secure links than traditional radio frequencies allow [1, 3].
The project utilizes a Greek mountaintop ground station to communicate with CubeSats [1, 2]. While some current space-to-ground laser tests are demonstrating links in the multi-hundred-Mbps range, this specific trial is designed to reach data rates of up to 10 Gbps [1, 2].
Previous laboratory tests of the ATLAS-1 laser terminals indicated that the technology could provide data rates up to 100 times higher than comparable radio links [3]. These optical advancements follow other milestones in the field, including a separate demonstration of a 1 Gbps laser link between an aircraft and a geostationary satellite [4].
The transition to laser-based systems is driven by the need for bandwidth that radio waves cannot provide. Optical links use infrared beams to transmit data, which avoids the interference and regulatory bottlenecks associated with the crowded radio spectrum [1, 3].
This networking trial is part of a broader effort to modernize how Europe manages satellite data. The ability to move gigabits of data per second from orbit to ground will enable more complex sensors, and higher-resolution imaging on small satellites [1].
“The trial is designed to reach data rates of up to 10 Gbps.”
The shift from radio to optical communication represents a fundamental change in satellite architecture. As the 'New Space' era leads to thousands of small satellites, the available radio frequency spectrum has become a primary bottleneck for data retrieval. Successfully implementing gigabit-per-second laser links would allow operators to transmit massive datasets, such as high-resolution climate data or real-time imagery, without the delays or interference inherent in radio systems.
