Development of the Satellite System: Development of Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS)

Abstract

Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS) “Kirari” is a satellite developed to demonstrate innovative technologies of laser-based optical inter-orbit communications between OICETS and European Space Agency’s (ESA) Advanced Relay and Technology Mission Satellite (ARTEMIS) and planned to be launched by Japanese J-Ⅰ launch vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center.After its Proto Flight Test has been completed, the plan had to be changed. Finally OICETS was launched by Dnepr launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan in August 2005, and successes the world first bi-directional optical communication experiments between two satellites and between low earth orbiting satellite and a ground station. This paper describes the overview of OICETS and features of its development.