Disruptive Communication System based on LiFi technology for Spacecrafts and Aerospace Infrastructure

Project Information

SATELLIFE

Grant agreement ID: 190121010

DOI

10.3030/190121010

Project closed

EC signature date 8 July 2022

Start date 1 December 2021

End date 30 November 2023

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 3 944 916,25

EU contribution

€ 2 500 000,00

Coordinated by

OLEDCOMM SAS
France

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SATELLIFE (Disruptive Communication System based on LiFi technology for Spacecrafts and Aerospace Infrastructure)

Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2023-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Over the next decade, the space industry expects to launch 50,000 satellites in orbit. However, the long-term success of this plan requires substantial cost reductions, explicitly to weight and material costs of satellites. Wired (coppered) signal harnesses are used for data transmission on communication buses within the satellite and account for up to 10% of the total dry mass of a satellite. The high weight, density and complexity of the satellite harnesses represent a substantial pain for manufacturers and an opportunity for innovation and market disruption. Based on feasibility studies with project partners in the space industry, Oledcomm has developed SATELLIFE, the first LiFi (light fidelity)-based wireless connection technology which utilizes light to transmit data. Replacing cables in a spacecraft with SATELLIFE allows a simplification of validation & manufacturing, huge weight reduction and cost reduction.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the months of development, Oledcomm focused on developing the first space qualified LiFi transceiver. Thus, after a phase of specification of the need (interfaces, performances, environments) with its customers for nearly one month, the R&D teams of Oledcomm worked on the design of a LiFi transceiver having to combine robustness, simplicity and performances.

After several iterations, the 1st protoboard was tested in Lab conditions in June 2022 and finally tested in environmental conditions in July 2022. With results that meet all customer requirements, Oledcomm delivered the first 2 flight models for a launch. Liftoff was part of Launch Lot 19, SpaceX Ride-Share launch. The liftoff took place on May 20 at 6:16 am PT (local) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Base in California.

Overall, Oledcomm has successfully managed to demonstrate its ability to develop, in record time, a space module while meeting the requirements of major players in the field such as OneWeb and Ariane Group. The field test reports of the full Spatial LIFI system integrated with OneWeb's fourth launch with SpaceX are in line with expectations, allowing us to justify a first flight heritage.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Oledcomm is the first company in the world that has managed to develop and to test in Orbit the LiFi technology.

Pilot partners, CNES and OneWeb, were impressed by the speed at which the SatelLife payload has been developed and the telemetry results in orbit are compliant with the expectations.

Transceiver StatelLife