The Miniature Optical Communication Transceiver—A Compact, Power-Efficient Lasercom System for Deep Space Nanosatellites

Abstract

Optical communication is becoming more prevalent in orbit due to the need for increased data throughput. Nanosatellites, which are satellites that typically weigh less than 10 kg, are also becoming more common due to lower launch costs that enable the rapid testing of technology in a space environment. Nanosatellites are cheaper to launch than their larger counterparts and may be a viable option for communicating beyond Earth’s orbit, but have strict Size,Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements. The Miniature Optical Communication Transceiver (MOCT) is a compact optical transceiver designed to provide modest data rates to SWaP constrained platforms, like nanosatellites. This paper will cover the optical amplifier characterization and simulated performance of the MOCT amplifier design that produces 1 kW peak power pulses and closes three optical links which include Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Earth, LEO to LEO, and Moon to Earth. Additionally, a benchtop version of the amplifier design was constructed and was able to produce amplified pulses with 1.37 W peak power, including a 35.7% transmit optics loss, at a pump power of 500 mW. Finally, the modulator, seed laser, amplifier, receiver, and time-to-digital converter were all used together to measure the Bit Error Ratio (BER), which was 0.00257 for a received optical peak power of 176 nW.

Lasers for Satellite Uplinks and Downlinks

“…Before considering lasers for uplinks and downlinks [8], lasers were employed for geodesy first [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] and also orbital determination [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33], the 1990's jump-started scientific examination of space and satellite laser communications [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53]. Over roughly the next decade, the U.S. national air and space administration, the European, and Japanese space agencies completed successful trials of space-based laser communications [34].…”

“…20 Mbps to LLCD [40]. LADEE [40,41] was a small satellite that weighed 383 kg at launch and the entire spacecraft consumed 295 W of power during its mission" [39] The lunar laser communications demonstrator demonstrated depicted in Figure 2, a six-hundred twenty-two mega-bits per second datalink at a range of four-hundred thousand kilometers; an achievement at ten times the approximate range of a ground-to-geosynchronous orbit link while overcoming a one-hundred fold link loss [43]. Late in 2013, for thirty days the lunar laser communications demonstrator communicated in duplex from a lunar orbiting satellite to both earthbound locations as well as the lunar atmosphere and dust environment explorer.…”

Preparing for Satellite Laser Uplinks and Downlinks

“…LADEE [40,41] was a small satellite that weighed 383 kg at launch and the entire spacecraft consumed 295 W of power during its mission" [39] Sci 2020, 3, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 18 at 20 Mbps to LLCD [40]. LADEE [40,41] was a small satellite that weighed 383 kg at launch and the entire spacecraft consumed 295 W of power during its mission" [39] Figure 2. NASA's first space laser communication system demonstration [43].…”

Lasers for Satellite Uplinks and Downlinks

“…at 20 Mbps to LLCD [40]. LADEE [40,41] was a small satellite that weighed 383 kg at launch and the entire spacecraft consumed 295 W of power during its mission" [39] The lunar laser communications demonstrator demonstrated depicted in Figure 2, a six-hundred twenty-two mega-bits per second datalink at a range of four-hundred thousand kilometers; an achievement at ten times the approximate range of a ground-to-geosynchronous orbit link while overcoming a one-hundred fold link loss [43]. Late in 2013, for thirty days the lunar laser communications demonstrator communicated in duplex from a lunar orbiting satellite to both earthbound locations as well as the lunar atmosphere and dust environment explorer.…”