Optical link for free space laser communication to satellites.

Project Information

OpticalSpaceLink

Grant agreement ID: 848413

DOI

10.3030/848413

Project closed

EC signature date 1 March 2019

Start date 1 April 2019

End date 30 September 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 3 563 181,25

EU contribution

€ 2 494 226,00

Coordinated by

TOPTICA PROJECTS GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - OpticalSpaceLink (Optical link for free space laser communication to satellites.)

Reporting period: 2020-04-01 to 2021-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The “OptialSpaceLink” mission of TOPTICA PROJECTS (PRO) is to position itself as a critical enabler for the next generation optical internet. Recently, the space industry has seen a dramatic transition from an industry almost exclusively addressed by governments and large corporations towards a fast moving industry driven by many start-ups, new ideas for business and applications and new horizons in thinking. The so-called NewSpaceage is rising. Falling launch costs and strong investments in start-ups have resulted in steadily increasing optimism about future commercial use of space. Next generation Internet-via-Satellites is one of the reasons for this optimism and is going to happen within the next three to five years. This new kind of internet network has the potential to connect the more than three billion of people still unconnected on earth. It critically depends on fastest data backbone links from ground to satellite and vice versa, that can only be implemented with optical connections. Today, atmospheric turbulence prevents a proper optical uplink to the satellite. PRO’s OpticalSpaceLink addresses this technology gap with concepts derived from astronomical applications where PRO’s product defines today the state of the art. With a breakthrough solution, leveraging our core technology, OpticalSpaceLink changes the game of the worldwide optical space internet. Only OpticalSpaceLink will enable future space-based optical Internet. In addition, with this product PRO will open up a plurality of other space applications outside telecommunication. By its contribution to “connecting the unconnected”, this project brings multiple benefits to EU citizens, generates high-tech jobs and enables the channel for a fast growing new European industry. It will strengthen Europe’s position in the New Space-revolution and prevent it from being left behind in the next gold rush in space (Europe behind the NewSpace-revolution; Dr Tom Enders, CEO AIRBUS, Bremen, October 2018).

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

The OSL project has mostly been executed according to schedule even though the pandemic has caused delays in planning, marketing (missing trade shows) and customer acceptance test phase. All deliverables and milestones have been submitted in time, i.e. the OpticalSpaceLink has been developed, testing with beta customers, and is currently introduced into the market. While the telecommunication market has developed slower than initially expected other markets such as space surveillance, atmospheric science, and astronomy are developing faster so that the overall business plan is still valid. The telecommunication market recently started to take off with first application demonstrations are planned by ESA and NASA.

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)

Sodium laser guide star (LGS) enabled adaptive optics (LGS-AO) is an indispensable tool in modern, state-of-the-art ground-based astronomy. The fully engineered SodiumStar 20/2 product line by TOPTICA PROJECTS (PRO) has been adopted by all major observatories. It has revolutionized LGS-AO, facilitating telescope operators to offer it on a night-to-night on-demand basis.
In this project, we have significantly improved the technology to facilitate novel use cases other than astronomy. These include free-space optical satellite communications, as basis for a worldwide space-based internet backbone, deep-space communications, and high-resolution, high-reach optical Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST). This next-generation LGS-AO technology will push the capacity of optical ground-to-satellite communications links towards terabit-per-second levels, enable optical quantum communications into space, and will be a prerequisite for optical SST ground stations providing the highest spatial resolution.
Worldwide, SST and space traffic monitoring are of increasing concern due to the sudden and fast increase in space traffic and population. The need for supervision of vehicle launches and their early orbit phases, for verification of spacecraft deployment and tracks, and the critical fight against space debris, are urgently calling for new technology developments. Optical sensing is a promising and versatile approach for space traffic and debris observation. Even with optical technology, the required spatial resolution for small objects in high altitudes can only be achieved using telescopes equipped with AO and artificial LGS. As LGS world market leader, PRO started migrating its successful LGS system technology used in cutting-edge astronomical applications towards compact daylight-ready LGS systems for SST.
The OpticalSpaceLink funding enables PRO to penetrate new markets. It is also helping to navigate Europe's photonic space industry through a demanding market situation, enabling a worldwide pole position in optical SST and further applications. In a next step, diffraction-limited optical access from earth to space will become a prerequisite for free-space optical communications to satellites for next-generation constellation-based space internet backbones and, thus, help to connect the unconnected half of the world population.

Customer beta testing at AVSO

Testing at beta customer site on La Palma.