Overview of the Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS) Project

Abstract

The Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS “KIRARI”) is an experimental technology satellite aiming the orbital demonstration of optical communication with the ESA (European Space Agency) ARTEMIS (Advanced Relay and Technology Mission Satellite) geosynchronous satellite. Its main orbit demonstrations are laser acquisition and tracking technology, on-orbit performance degradation of optical devise and system, and future international inter-orbit operation of optical communications technology. OICETS started the project in 1995, was launched at Baikonur in August 2005, after the ARTEMIS geosynchronous orbit acquisition. OICETS made success of two world first demonstrations in the laser optical communications. One was two-way communication with ESA ARTEMIS in 2005. Another was communication with the NICT ground station in 2006. This paper describes the overview of OICETS project such as development status, key technologies and launch and experimental results.