Inter-Satellite Communication

The future of data transfer is photonic. Command, control, intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities require reliable means of sharing data with remote units. High-resolution detector systems generate a deluge of data that cannot be transmitted in real time without some form of compression. What’s more, limited frequency bands and antenna size impose severe constrictions on some of the potentially most effective applications. Laser-based communication can transfer a lot more data and deliver the goods at far faster speeds than the radio frequency technology currently in use.

The advantages of laser communication in space and terrestrial laser communication clearly are the wide bandwidth for data transmission rates in the GBit/s range with a speed of up to 10 Gbit/s. Laser communication is highly available and what is more: It is jam-resistant. Its optical communication equipment’s ability to transmit uncompressed HD data for border surveillance applications has proven its merits in the field. For civilian applications, there is no other way to blast through the data bottleneck and transcend the gigabit barrier.

Successful tests in space, over land and under water attest to the viability of laser-light data transmission systems developed by HENSOLDT Optronics.

Satellite to Earth Communication

HENSOLDT’s optical subsystems have been tried, tested and verifed in space with a com link that topped the 5 gbit/s mark across a distance exceeding 5,000 km, opening up a whole new range of possibilities, for example, reconnaissance data sourced from unmanned underwater vehicles.

The world’s only ground/GEO link is based on HENSOLDT technology that stems from its Zeiss legacy. Optical feeder links exploit licence-free bandwidth, thereby sparing licensed frequencies that can be gainfully employed for downlink broadcasts. HENSOLDT is known for its superior stabilised terrestrial, maritime and airborne platforms. The experience and insight gained in these projects has enabled the sensor solutions house to develop optical communication systems that deliver reliable broadband performance in the air, on land and at sea. In fact, HENSOLDT Optronics’ optical underwater acquisition technology is patented.