Advanced Space Laser Communication Technology on CubeSats

 

 

Abstract: The free space optical communication plays an important role in space-terrestrial integrated network due to its advantages including great improvement of data rate performance, low cost, security enhancement when compared with conventional radio frequency(RF) technology. Meanwhile, CubeSats become popular in low earth orbit (LEO) network because of the low cost, fast response and the possibility of constituting constellations and formations to execute missions that a single large satellite cannot do. However, it is a difficult task to build an optical communication link between the CubeSats. In this paper, the cuttingedge laser technology progress on the CubeSats is reviewed. The characters of laser link on the CubeSat and the key techniques in the laser communication terminal (LCT) design are demonstrated.
Keywords: space laser communication; laser communication terminal; CubeSat