LEO-to-ground laser link experimentation and Optical Ground Station development in the Keraunos project

Authors: Martin Rabault, Domitille Schanne, Henri Lehec, Aubin Beauland, Maxime Joos, Laurie Paillier, Pu Jian, Matthieu Meunier, Olivier Pinel, Guillaume Labroille

Cailabs, Rennes – FRANCE

Abstract

In recent years, space-based laser communications have emerged as a pivotal industrial and commercial sector, offering significantly higher throughput than traditional RF communications. This advancement is attributed to free-space optical communications’ capacity for greater data transmission rates, discretion, and the elimination of the need for frequency allocation. The deployment of Optical Communication Terminal (OCT) equipment by various industrial entities has marked the maturity of this technology for satellite applications. On the other hand, the use of Optical Ground Stations (OGS) for satellite-to-ground optical communications is still at the early stage of commercial deployment.
This presentation outlines the advancements achieved in the Keraunos project, supported by the French Agency for Defense Innovation, through the experimentation of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to ground optical link. The OGS developed in the project is developed for commercial use and incorporates an 800 mm telescope with an architecture tailored for high data rates, low elevation angles, and significant atmospheric turbulence.
The presentation delves into the OGS’s architecture and subsystems’ design and performance. It presents the initial results from first light received from a commercial OCT mounted on a LEO Cubesat satellite operated by Unseenlabs in the context of Keraunos, demonstrating optical communication links with the optical ground station.