Study on high-speed space laser communications using adaptive optics and the demonstration experiment on international space station

Abstract

A high-speed optical feeder-link system between a ground station and a geostationary satellite has been studied at CRL in conjunction with an application of the adaptive optics. The system is based on the technological developments in various types of optical devices, used for high-speed fiber-optic links and the adaptive optics. A link budget study shows that a system with 10-Gbps bit-rate are available assuming the state-of-the-art device performance and low order adaptive optics compensation. The first demonstration experiment with a bit-rate of 2.5 Gbps is planned at the International Space Station in the year 2003.