General Atomics Partners US Space Agency to Demo Inter-satellite Optical link

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has partnered with the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) to demonstrate and conduct a series of experiments for an Optical Intersatellite Link (OISL) utilizing GA-EMS’s internally developed 1550nm (nanometer) wavelength laser communication terminals (LCTs).

This will be one of the first Department of Defense contracted efforts to develop and deploy a 1550nm LCT to test capabilities to increase the speed, distance, and variability of communications in space.

“For several years we have been developing a series of optical laser communication terminals to improve and increase satellite crosslink data transfer rates and downlink data rates. These experiments will demonstrate robust communication capabilities through multiple mediums, from Earth, to and between satellites in multiple orbits, and on in to deep space,” stated Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS.

The OISL demonstration will consist of two GA-EMS internally designed and built 12U CubeSat spacecraft, each of which will host an Infrared payload (IRPL) and LCT payload, with an anticipated launch date in March 2021. Satellite development, integration and testing is being conducted at GA-EMS facilities in San Diego, CA and Huntsville, AL. GA-EMS will also provide mission control capabilities from its mission control centers in Centennial, CO and Huntsville.

“We anticipate this demonstration to show data rates up to 5GB a second at ranges up to 2500 km, and this LCT can support out to greater than 4500 km. This increased speed in communications is necessary to advance a variety of space applications in intelligence, surveillance, telecommunications, reconnaissance, and more,” said Nick Bucci, vice president of Missile Defense and Space Systems at GA-EMS.