First laser communication satellite set for launch this month

Space-based laser communications are moving out of the testing phase and into orbit as the first satellite in the European Data Relay System (EDRS), or SpaceDataHighway, prepares for launch at the end of January.

The 1.8 gigabit per second system is a joint public - private partnership between Airbus Defense and Space and ESA that will act as a relay system between ground stations, satellites, and aircraft.
EDRS-A is a Eurostar E3000 type satellite built by Airbus Defense and Space and operated by Eutelsat. At its heart is the Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) built by Airbus Defense and Space subsidiary. The LCT will allow the EDRS to transmit and receive up to 50 terabytes of encrypted data a day in near-real-time.

The system will be used to deliver images, video, and other data from satellites, UAVs, aircraft, and space stations, allowing for faster and more complete communications in the event of a crisis or natural disaster.
The SpaceDataHighway will be extended by the launch of a second satellite in 2017, followed by a third by 2020, which will deliver global coverage.

We learned thoughts of Dunay Badirkhanov, satellite operations group leader at Azercosmos OJSC on this matter: "Laser data transmission from space to Earth is scientifically proven new technology. "Thus, data transmission via laser communication was carried out between optical payload onboard a geostationary satellite 38,000 km away and a ground station. During this period, the amount of laser data is much more compared with the information transmitted over the airwaves.

In practice, the first test of the laser-based data transmission was carried out in November 2001 between the satellite Artemis ESA (European Space Agency), providing optical data transmission channel, and the French Earth observing satellite SPOT 4. In November 2014 the European Space Agency as part of the project EDRS managed to obtain data transfer rate of 0.6 gigabits of possible 1.8 gigabits.

Currently, this system is designed for the use of sustainable and high-quality data transmission between low-orbit satellites and earth stations over geostationary satellites, said Badirkhanov.