According to research from Astrolight, the satellite laser communications market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 40% between 2024 and 2032, as demand for optical connectivity in low Earth orbit (LEO) shows the upcoming shift in capabilities to provide more actionable information from space at speeds never seen before.
Laser communication presents many opportunities, such as offering more than 10x faster data transfer, reduced latency, and more secure, unjammable connections when compared to traditional radio frequency-based systems. For many industries relying on satellite communications, laser communication represents a leap in capability that echoes the move from dial-up to fiber internet connectivity.
“We’re now seeing some bold announcements revealing the scale of laser communication technology. The latest NASA experiments showcased that we’ve reached a new level in deep-space laser communication that would enable us to stream Netflix from Mars,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “We should not forget that this technology can also improve near-Earth satellite communications, where an immediate impact on satellite bandwidth is obvious. The recent proliferation of LEO satellites has garnered a lot of progress in satellite Internet connectivity and remote sensing, and with optical communication, these satellites will become even more powerful.”
Previously, the satellite market was dominated by geostationary satellites. However, LEO satellites are closer to Earth, offering higher-definition imagery and faster response times.
As of today, most of the LEO satellites belong to Starlink, which provides global internet coverage through its constellation. These satellites similarly help address the growing demand for constant monitoring and real-time data, especially in areas such as defense and Earth observation.
Currently, the emerging and leading low-SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) laser communication terminals for satellite-to-ground data transfer include Astrolight’s ATLAS, ClydeSpace’s CubeCAT, and Tesat’s SCOT20. Each offers its approach to meeting demands for speed and establishing reliable data links from space.
While CubeCAT and SCOT20 models have more heritage, ATLAS has several features that outperform competitors in power, data rate, and adaptability.
Due to its proprietary fibre optical amplifier design, ATLAS can beam its laser at a very high output power, which enables it to support a 10Gbps data link from LEO to the ground using a relatively small ground station telescope.
In contrast, other systems max out at lower speeds, which limits their capacity for fast, high-volume data transmission. The high transmit power also significantly increases the reliability of the data link for a given size of receiving telescope.
“From a technical perspective, ATLAS is the only one of the above-mentioned terminals which has a two-aperture design. Each aperture can be individually optimized for sending, receiving, and tracking the ground station simultaneously to establish a connection quickly and reliably,” explained Mačiulis. “The only missing part until now were space qualification tests, that have been successfully completed this October, demonstrating that our terminal is ready to fly to space.”
Recently at Tartu Observatory, the ATLAS optical terminal has completed a series of performance tests. These included thermal vacuum (TVAC), vibration, and shock experiments. The terminal demonstrated resilience under extreme conditions, remaining fully operational with all systems performing within specifications.
“While recent deep space applications showcased by NASA are exciting, the focus is now on practical uses closer to home, particularly in LEO, where we can deliver faster, more secure data transmission from space to ground,” concluded Mačiulis.
There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by commenting below or visiting our LinkedIn page.
