Status on laser communication activities at Tesat-Spacecom

Abstract

This paper details the progress in laser communication activities of Tesat-Spacecom. Besides the EDRS program (European Data Relay System) update of in-orbit laser communication terminal (LCT) performance, with more than 81.859 data relay links executed (status Nov 2023), we report on the recent terminal projects, kicked off in 2022/2023.We present recent results of the first intradyne 1064nm coherent laser communication link from space to ground tested between GEO satellite Alphasat and the DLR/TESAT ground station (T-AOGS) at the observatory of Teide in Tenerife, Spain. Furthermore, we share results of intradyne lab measurements. Besides technology demonstrations, we present the new TESAT products in development (SCOT20 and SCOT135), that aim for the Cubesat market on the one hand and the high performance systems for MEO / GEO satellites with data rates up to 100 Gbps, using commercial COTS technology, on the other hand. Finally, we report on the progress of the SCOT80 terminals delivered for the SDA Tranche 0 program.