In this paper, we report on the demonstration of a high-rate free-space optical communication downlink from a fast airborne platform to a ground station. The flight platform used was a Panavia Tornado with a laser communication terminal installed in an attached avionic demonstrator pod. A transportable optical ground station equipped with a free-space receiver frontend was used as the receiver station. Downlink wavelength for communication and uplink wavelength for beacon laser were chosen to be compatible with the C-band DWDM grid. New opto-mechanical tracking systems were developed and applied on both sides for link acquisition and stabilization. The flight tests were carried out at the end of November 2013 near the Airbus Defence & Space location in Manching, Germany. The campaign successfully demonstrated the maturity and readiness of laser communication for aircraft downlinks at a data rate of 1.25 Gbit/s. We outline the experiment design based on link budget assessments, the developed opto-mechanical terminal technology, and the results of the flight campaign. The experiment itself focused on the tracking performance of the airborne terminal and the ground station. Performance could be measured at aircraft speeds up to Mach 0.7 and video data from an onboard camera was transmitted. Tracking accuracies of up to 20 µrad rms for the airborne terminal and the ground station were achieved at instantaneous tracking errors below 60 µrad and 40 µrad, respectively. The tracking link worked up to a horizontal distance of 79 km and data transmission was possible up to 50 km.
Free-space laser communications are subject of current research and development in many research and industrial bodies. Long distance air-ground and space-ground can be implemented in future communication networks as feeder, backbone and backhaul links for various air-and space-based scenarios. The Institute of Communications and Navigation of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) operates two ground stations to investigate the communication channel and system: the Optical Ground Station Oberpfaffenhofen and the Transportable Optical Ground Station. The first one is a fixed installation and operated as experimental station with focus on channel measurements and tests of new developments. Various measurement devices, communication receivers and optical setups may easily be installed for different objectives. The facility is described with its dome installation, telescope setup and infrastructure. Past and current deployment in several projects is described and selected measurement achievements presented. The second ground station is developed for semi-operational use and demonstration purposes. Based on experience with the experimental ground station, this one is developed with higher level of integration and system robustness. The focus application is the space-ground and air-ground downlink of payload data from Earth observation missions. Therefore, it is also designed to be easily transportable for worldwide deployment. The system is explained and main components are discussed. The characteristics of both ground stations are presented and discussed. Further advancements in the equipment and capability are also presented.
Optical Satellite Downlinks have gathered increasing attention in the last years.
This paper will give an overview about the Transportable Optical Ground Station (TOGS) of DLR's Institute of Communications and Navigation. Furthermore, a short description of its project involvement will be given.
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