Optical Communication

The Opto-Electronics section develops technology for free-space optical communication systems. This includes: telescopes, lasers, detectors, adaptive optics, feeder-link technologies, coherent beam combining schemes and laser guide star generation. The section actively supports ESA’s optical communication projects such as the inter-satellite (LEO to GEO) link of the European Data Relay System (EDRS), a LEO to ground link solution for small satellites (Optel-µ) and a deep-space to Earth link for the Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM). To perform its tasks it operates an external test facility in Tenerife (Spain) called Optical Ground Station (OGS), which houses a 1 meter Zeiss telescope. The OGS performs commissioning and regular testing of optical terminals on board orbiting ESA spacecraft and participates in communication experiments with satellite from international partners.