Optical interconnect evaluation process for Thales Alenia Space latest generation of Digital Transparent Processor, DTP6G, and a projection into future needs

Abstract

Flexibility and in-flight reconfigurability offered by digital processing have become key features in today's telecom satellite payloads. In recent years, Thales Alenia Space have developed several generations of on-board digital transparent processors (DTP) by introducing the most advanced and disruptive technologies. After several payloads based on 5th generation processors, Thales Alenia Space Space Inspire solution uses a 6th generation processors offering another step in flexibility through Digital Beam Forming. The mechanical architecture of such advanced digital processors is based on input/output routing channel modules and switch modules interconnected thanks to optical links. The end-to-end architecture of the optical links was optimized based on the return of experience of the 5th generation of DTP. Increasing processing capacity led to selection of links at datarates above 20 Gbps for the latest DTP generation. The optical interconnect solution is scalable to an overall throughput in excess of 65 Terabit/s with more than 1800's of optical links.In the frame of the development of DTP6G, Thales Alenia Space have led an evaluation process of optical transceivers, compatible with GEO to LEO environments and with a 15-year mission reliability .. Future processor developments are already under preparation with ever increasing processing power and datarates based on the next generations of transceiver which are starting to appear. The paper will present the evaluation process of the transceivers for Thales Alenia Space's latest processor generation, the update in the optical link architecture, as well as a first projection towards the targeted needs for the next generations of optical links.