LASIN optical link on-board CO3D constellation

Jérémie Lochard; Nicolas de Guembecker; Philippe Chéoux-Damas; Xavier Calmet; Emmanuel Giraud; Alexandre Jullien; Mehdi Ghezal; Lyonel Barthe; Jean-Frédéric Chouteau; Laurent Coret; Géraldine Artaud; Lionel Perret; Pierre Viallefont; Eric Cazala-Hourcade

doi:10.1117/12.2689018

12 July 2023 LASIN optical link on-board CO3D constellation

Jérémie Lochard, Nicolas de Guembecker, Philippe Chéoux-Damas, Xavier Calmet, Emmanuel Giraud, Alexandre Jullien, Mehdi Ghezal, Lyonel Barthe, Jean-Frédéric Chouteau, Laurent Coret, Géraldine Artaud, Lionel Perret, Pierre Viallefont, Eric Cazala-Hourcade

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Proceedings Volume 12777, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2022; 127770V (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2689018
Event: International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2022, 2022, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Abstract

Earth Observation missions generate an increasing volume of data as their spatial resolution and swath have constantly increased over the last years. Downloading to ground such amounts of data with limited end-user latency is quite challenging. In this context, optical links offer an effective solution for such image downlink. To demonstrate the feasibility and the relevance of using direct optical links from LEO satellites to ground, to download large volume of data, Airbus DS and CNES have joined to develop LASIN. LASIN, which stands for LASer through the INstrument, is flown onboard the CO3D constellation and will provide a 10 Gbps optical link dedicated to image data downlink. This is achieved thanks to a laser system which transmits directly through the CO3D instrument. LASIN requires only few equipment to turn the instrument into a laser terminal. No pointing mechanisms are required as the beam pointing is achieved thanks to the satellite attitude control capability. LASIN also benefits from the implementation of a new family of high-efficiency LDPC codes recently adopted by the CCSDS and optimized by Airbus DS. In the frame of this demonstration, the optical ground station is developed by CNES and located at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in south of France. The first optical links will take place in 2024. Beyond this demonstration, the goal is to propose a fully operational downlink capability for future EO missions. The system is designed to be compatible with low cost optical ground stations in order to offer innovative and competitive solution for image downlink for the EO export market. Additional presentation content can be accessed on the supplemental content page.

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Jérémie Lochard, Nicolas de Guembecker, Philippe Chéoux-Damas, Xavier Calmet, Emmanuel Giraud, Alexandre Jullien, Mehdi Ghezal, Lyonel Barthe, Jean-Frédéric Chouteau, Laurent Coret, Géraldine Artaud, Lionel Perret, Pierre Viallefont, and Eric Cazala-Hourcade "LASIN optical link on-board CO3D constellation", Proc. SPIE 12777, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2022, 127770V (12 July 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2689018

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