Robert Zitz, SpaceLink Corporation; Jim Schwenke, SpaceLink Corporation; Rob Singh, SpaceLink Corporation; David Nemeth, SpaceLink Corporation; Behzad Koosha, SpaceLink Corporation
Keywords: high capacity data relay, high bandwidth optical communications, laser terminals, data fusion, real-time tasking, tipping and cueing, low latency,
Abstract:
The breadth of space-based assets collecting data with time critical information is increasing at a rapid pace. Multi-mission satellite platforms, hosted payloads and dedicated remote sensing platforms now generate vast amounts of data in real time that may have immediate time value. These commercial, civil and defense data collection platforms are generating vast amounts of data with plans to increase. Previously sensors deployed on these platforms primarily looked down but now these platforms feature sensors looking up or sideways generating even more data of interest. All have one thing in common and that is the need to relay information from the space-borne data collection platform to an interested data consumer to work with the “actionable” data. How is this data going to get to an end user in time to act? A common need is to get the sensor data to where a decision can be made, and quickly. So, who moves this data? Even with optical cross links, a trip to an earth station is not guaranteed. The “need for speed” now has an answer, SpaceLink. In a 14,000km Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) a constellation of four satellites provides 100 Gbps of raw data transfer capacity with latencies as little as 150msec from reception to delivery. Utilizing SDA compatible Optical User Terminals, the SpaceLink constellation aggregates data from multiple sources and delivers that data to users using secure cloud-based delivery. A sensor detects an anomaly. What if the anomalous behavior is not just due to a failure or a collision? What if the anomalous behavior is intended? The need for speed.
This paper presents the application of a “High Capacity” optical MEO Satellite Relay System. Presented are use cases and operational scenarios providing low latency data relay and timely delivery from a MEO orbit.
Date of Conference: September 27-20, 2022
Track: SSA/SDA