Optical high-capacity satellite downlinks via high-altitude platform relays

Markus Knapek; Joachim Horwath; Florian Moll; Bernd Epple; Nicolas Courville; Hermann Bischl; Dirk Giggenbach

doi:10.1117/12.734053

25 September 2007 Optical high-capacity satellite downlinks via high-altitude platform relays

Markus Knapek, Joachim Horwath, Florian Moll, Bernd Epple, Nicolas Courville, Hermann Bischl, Dirk Giggenbach

Proceedings Volume 6709, Free-Space Laser Communications VII; 67090E (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734053
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Earth-observation (EO) satellite missions produce a large amount of data using high-resolution optical or radar sensors. During the last decades the amount of data has steadily increased due to improved sensor technologies with increased temporal resolution, sensor resolution, and pixel count. As a consequence EO satellite missions have become limited by the downlink data rates of microwave communication systems, which are inhibited by spectrum restrictions, manageable antenna sizes, and available transmit power. Optical downlinks from EO satellites with data rates of several Gbps mitigate the limiting effects of microwave communication systems; however optical links do not provide the necessary link availability through the atmosphere due to cloud blockage above the ground station. Apart from diversity concepts with several ground stations or satellite networks, a stratospheric High Altitude Platform (HAP) could act as a relay station to forward the optical communication beam over the last 20km through the atmosphere to the ground station, where short-range, high data-rate microwave systems are feasible. This paper will discuss the capabilities of HAP and GEO relay stations to increase the downlink capacities of LEO satellites. Environmental aspects for the deployment of HAP relays and regulatory/technology issues for a microwave downlink on the last 20km to the ground will be discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Markus Knapek, Joachim Horwath, Florian Moll, Bernd Epple, Nicolas Courville, Hermann Bischl, and Dirk Giggenbach "Optical high-capacity satellite downlinks via high-altitude platform relays", Proc. SPIE 6709, Free-Space Laser Communications VII, 67090E (25 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734053

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available