TERRA-M Deployable Laser Communications Ground Station | Photo: Archangel Lightworks
The UK has completed its first successful download of data from space using a deployable laser communications ground station in a project involving the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and UK company Archangel Lightworks.
The demonstration involved downloading data from a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) during a 90-second satellite pass. According to Dstl, many gigabits of information were transmitted to an optical ground station located in the Mediterranean region. The trial forms part of efforts to develop faster and more secure communication systems for military use.
Laser communications, also referred to as free space optical communications, transmit information through low-power, non-visible light rather than radio frequency systems. The technology is designed to support high-speed transfer of large amounts of data over long distances.
Military applications for the technology include Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance activities, where rapid movement of large volumes of information can be important for operational decision-making.
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said, “By developing laser communications we’re dramatically increasing how quickly and securely our satellites can talk to our bases on Earth, protecting these communications from interference and giving us an advantage over our adversaries.”
Dr Paul Hollinshead, Dstl Chief Executive, said, “Laser communications will vastly improve the speed, size and security of data between our forces, whether they are in the air, on land, at sea or in space. This will greatly increase the security of our forces who will be able to convey critical information faster than their adversary.”
According to Dstl, the shorter wavelength of light compared with radio waves allows larger amounts of information to be transmitted per second. The use of narrow laser beams can also reduce interference with other communications networks and may make transmissions harder to detect or intercept.
Dstl said the system is also intended to be interoperable with standards used by the United States Space Development Agency. Archangel Lightworks, based in Oxford, developed the optical ground station used in the trial and recently completed a Series A funding round that included investment from the National Security Strategic Investment Fund.
Discover more from StratPost
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
