ESA Perspectives on Optical Communication ESA 13 Jan 2012

Disclaimer This is not an ESA consolidated opinion on how optical communication should develop in ESA and Europe, but rather a status capture and how next steps might look like It is not an ESA position paper for CCSDS standardisation

Programmes Status ESA’s SILEX inter-satellite communication experiment (2001-2008), performed between the ARTEMIS satellite in GEO and SPOT-4 in LEO, demonstrated the feasibility of laser communication technology. DLR TerraSAR-X and the US DoD NFIRE satellites are demonstrating inter-satellite communication. Although the laser communication terminals use the same technology they cannot operate with TDP#1 on Alphasat nor with EDRS (see below). ESA Alphasat will carry a DLR provided technology demonstration payload (TDP#1), which will demonstrate data relay technology. ESA EDRS and EU/ESA Sentinels are under development with the aim to create an operational optical Earth relay capability for the Sentinel series of spacecraft (ISL: optical, Feeder Link: RF) ESA is developing an optical communication solution for small Earth observation satellites in LEO to ground (Optel-µ). No other ESA program has so far embarked on optical communication, neither using EDRS ISL, nor direct-to-Earth links

Recent Spacecraft Communication System Designs TTC and some science data S-band (LEO: all ESA EO S/C, GEO: EUMETSAT MSG, MTG) X-band (all ESA Science missions to L2: Herschel, Planck, Gaia; L1: -; Sun orbit: Solo; Asteroid: Rosetta; Mercury: Bepi Colombo; Venus: VEX; Mars: MEX, ExoMars) Today’s RF high rate payload data X-band (LEO: all ESA, CNES, DLR EO S/C) Future RF high rate payload data K-band (26 GHz) for near earth (LEO: EUMETSAT Metop-SG, GEO Feeder Links: ESA EDRS, EUMETSAT MTG; Moon:-, L1:-, L2: ESA Euclid) Ka-band (32 GHz) for deep space (Mercury: Bepi Colombo) Future optical Inter-Satellite Links EDRS and Sentinels Future optical Space-Earth Links NONE !

Optical Communication: Next steps Optical Inter-Satellite Links: will become operational Cross support would be beneficial for more economical use of the data relay capacity, but is not essential Optical space-Earth Links: Need to create “global” consensus that optical space-Earth communication can make sense, offers new opportunities and is technically feasible with controllable risk IOAG OLSG working group and final report should show this, at least for some application scenarios Establish concept of “cross support” between space agencies also for optical space-Earth communication, which mandates interoperable implementations based on international standards (CCSDS) Demonstrate in-flight practical feasibility to convince future projects As demonstration opportunities are scarce -> enlarge demo effect by international cooperation, e.g. ARTEMIS, OICETS, TerraSAR-NFIRE, Ladee/LLCD

Optical Communication: Next steps ESA / European consensus build-up Future ESA projects: Earth Observation Programme (EOP), Science and Robotic Exploration (SRE), Human Spaceflight and Operations (HSO) ESA Telecommunication and Integrated Applications (TIA): as custodian of the telecom sector, and as manager of the Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme ESA Inspector General Chairing the ESA Standardisation Board -> potential CCSDS Optical WG European National Space Agencies: ASI, CNES, DLR, UKSA as flying national missions as delegations to ESA European Industry via Eurospace representing European space industries individual industries active in the field

Optical Communication: Next steps ESA Technology Preparation: Optical Communication Harmonisation Roadmap update Optical Communication Space and Ground Technology Roadmap Within the TECNET process TEC for onboard terminals TRL assessment by space communication terminal subsystem and application scenario (part of an ESA study, currently under tender) HSO for ground terminals TRL assessment by ground communication terminal subsystem and application scenario (part of an ESA study, currently under tender) High performing receivers Low cost large apertures In-flight Technology Demonstration (ESA: e.g. based on Optel-m, Sentinel space-Earth ?, and cooperative missions) First ESA mission to apply operationally optical space-Earth communication