Optical satellite communications in Europe

Zoran Sodnik; Hanspeter Lutz; Bernhard Furch; Rolf Meyer

doi:10.1117/12.847075

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26 February 2010 Optical satellite communications in Europe

Zoran Sodnik, Hanspeter Lutz, Bernhard Furch, Rolf Meyer

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Proceedings Volume 7587, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XXII; 758705 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.847075
Event: SPIE LASE, 2010, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

This paper describes optical satellite communication activities based on technology developments, which started in Europe more than 30 years ago and led in 2001 to the world-first optical inter-satellite communication link experiment (SILEX). SILEX proved that optical communication technologies can be reliably mastered in space and in 2006 the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) joined the optical inter-satellite experiment from their own satellite. Since 2008 the German Space Agency (DLR) is operating an inter-satellite link between the NFIRE and TerraSAR-X satellites based on a second generation of laser communication technology, which will be used for the new European Data Relay Satellite (EDRS) system to be deployed in 2013.

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Zoran Sodnik, Hanspeter Lutz, Bernhard Furch, and Rolf Meyer "Optical satellite communications in Europe", Proc. SPIE 7587, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XXII, 758705 (26 February 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.847075

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