Helmos optical ground station

Sending vast quantities of data between satellites speedily and securely means using light to communicate. Now a group of space companies, research centres and universities working with ESA has established a series of specifications on how exactly satellites should use light to talk to one another – and to link to their ground stations.

To build satellites that can easily use laser light to communicate, manufacturers will need optical devices that can recognise and talk to one another at the high data rates that will be needed in the future.

By supporting and coordinating discussions between space companies, research centres and universities in Europe and in Canada – as part of ESA’s programme of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems – ESA is helping to establish a set of specifications for ultra-high-speed optical links.

Called “ESA Specifications for Terabit/second Optical Links”, the initiative aims to foster the development of interoperable commercial products and services for optical high-capacity satellite networks, including their terrestrial components.

It seeks to extend available standards from space communications as well as terrestrial networks. This will enable space companies to integrate future satellites easily and seamlessly into terrestrial networks, as well as to develop and use commercial off-the-shelf components and software.

The approach gives industry a voice in preparations for the future and is similar to efforts by the Space Development Agency in the US. ESA is coordinating 18 companies from eight countries to define a set of common specifications covering future optical communications in and from space.