The OPTIMA project aims at demonstrating the concept and benefits of a photonic payload for telecommunication satellites by joining the efforts of industrial and academic European actors from both the worlds of space and terrestrial communications.
In the near future, a major increase in telecommunication satellites capacity is required not only to address the challenges of the Digital Agenda for Europe, but also to remain in line with the steeply rising evolution of terrestrial communications in a globally connected world.
With the current Radio Frequency (RF) technology, there is a more or less linear relationship between the size, mass and power consumption of telecommunications payloads and their capacity. This means that without a major technological breakthrough, the capacity objectives cannot be met within the envelope allowed by the foreseen evolution of launchers (Ariane 6, Falcon 9 …) and satellite platforms (Eurostar Neo).
Photonics, the science of light (photon) generation, detection, and manipulation, has largely contributed to the revolution on Information Technology for terrestrial applications and is the most promising technology to overcome the issues faced by telecommunications satellites, thanks to the compact, lightweight and low-power nature of optical-fibre based equipment.
However, a great deal of effort is required to bring these benefits to the world of telecommunication payloads as all the photonics equipment used in terrestrial applications need to be adapted to endure the mechanical vibrations during launch and survive for 15 years in the harsh environment of a geo-stationary orbit (vacuum, thermal excursion, radiations).
The consortium in OPTIMA project consists of:
• Airbus Defence and Space Ltd, United Kingdom
• Airbus Defence and Space, SAS, France
• DAS Photonics, Spain
• SODERN, France
• Hubber+Suhner Polatis, United Kingdom
• Cordon Electronics, Italy
• IMEC, Belgium
In the OPTIMA project, Airbus Defence and Space (United Kingdom and France), a European and world-leading satellite prime manufacturer, defined, assemble and tested a photonic payload demonstrator to Technology Readiness (TRL6) based on building blocks developed or adapted for space and provided by other members of the consortium. DAS Photonics (Spain) and Cordon Electronics (Italy) focused their efforts on integrating and miniaturizing Photonics Frequency Generator Units (PFGU), Photonic Multi-Frequency Convertors (PMFC) and Optical-to-Electrical Modules (OEM). SODERN (France), Hubber+Suhner Polatis (UK) and IMEC (Belgium) worked together to ruggedize and qualify to TRL6 the DirectLight® Optical Switching Technology from Hubber+Suhner Polatis (UK), a major player in fibre optics connectivity equipment for ground applications.
By gathering all these actors around a concrete project, in a real-world industrial environment, the OPTIMA project provides a strong initial impulse to make photonics technology available to the space telecommunications industry and pave the way towards an in-orbit demonstration. The availability of this technology will not only allow the European space industry to address the challenges of the Digital Agenda for Europe, but also strengthen its position in a very competitive, worldwide market. In addition, the consortium network activated through OPTIMA will create new opportunities for each project partner, such as, new line of products for space equipment suppliers like DAS photonics and SODERN, new fields of applications for technology experts such as IMEC and Cordon Electronics and new potential markets for terrestrial communications equipment suppliers such as Hubber+Suhner Polatis.
The Overall Objectives of OPTIMA Project were:
Objective 1: Demonstrate and validate the photonics payload concept and its benefits in a relevant industrial environment
Objective 2: Establish specifications of each building block of future photonics payload
Objective 3: Establish a roadmap towards in-orbit demonstration of photonics payload
Objective 4: Increase general knowledge and raise the interest for photonics payload among the space industry
