Reconfigurable microwave photonic repeater for broadband telecom missions: concepts and technologies

Towards telecommunication payloads with photonic technologies

“…Additional benefits in terms of Program and AIT effort saving are also anticipated. The work carried out in the OWR project [3] concluded to substantial mass and power savings in large-scale, high-capacity payloads for broadband multi-beam missions, thus confirming the attractive perspectives for high capacity and/or flexible payloads and missions. Nevertheless, photonic technologies are still at TRL lower than 6.…”

“…The novel photonic payload is lighter, less consuming and can be easily and cost effectively manufactured. Similar work has been carried out in the Artes-5 OWR project [3]. The introduction of photonic technologies was evaluated into large-scale, high capacity payloads for civilian telecommunications missions, in particular for broadband access, multi-beam missions in Ka band.…”

Satellite Payloads Pay Off

“…It should be noted that the larger multiplication factor requires higher-order nonlinearity in the electro-optical modulator, which drives down power efficiency, raises complexity, and degrades spectral purity. To this end, for the microwave photonic satellite payload demonstrator described in the ESA project titled "Optical Handling of Microwave and Digital Signals," Aveline et al [24] applied only optical double-sideband modulation with carrier suppression to generate a frequency-doubled optical LO with high power.…”

“…For instance, in an ESA project titled "Optical Wideband-Reconfigurable Receiver Front-End," at least 13 LOs were required in the payload to achieve multibeam broadband satellite coverage over Europe [24]. Several schemes to realize photonic generation of multi-LO signals have been proposed.…”

Optimization and evaluation in space conditions of multi-ghz optical modulators

“…During past years, innovative payload concepts based on photonic technologies were investigated by Thales Alenia Space [10][11]. Several architectures were elaborated covering different application cases including (but not limited to) flexible analogue repeaters based on a photonic centre section and photonic receiver front-ends for advanced antennas allowing digital beam forming.…”