Title :
The role of optics in communication satellites
Author :
Coello-Vera, A. ; Maignan, M.
Author_Institution :
Alcatel Space, Toulouse, France
Abstract :
Optical instruments have long been used in space in scientific and observation satellites. Telecommunication satellites on the other hand were and are the realm of RF/microwave techniques. But in 1981, a new era began when the first flight model satellite-to-satellite optical crosslink was ordered by the U.S. Government. Of course at that time, strategic reasons (no reliance on foreign ground stations, survivability, etc.) were probably as important as technical reasons
Keywords :
artificial satellites; optical links; satellite links; telecommunication network reliability; U.S. Government; communication satellite optics; foreign ground stations; microwave techniques; observation satellites; optical instruments; satellite-to-satellite optical crosslink; scientific satellites; strategic reasons; survivability; technical reasons; telecommunication satellites; Artificial satellites; Masers; Optical fiber communication; Optical interconnections; Optical receivers; Optical sensors; Optical transmitters; Radio frequency; Space technology; Stimulated emission;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting, 1998. LEOS '98. IEEE
Conference_Location :
Orlando, FL
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-4947-4
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.1998.737704
