Inter-Satellite Optical Wireless Links

Design of optical links between satellites, including pointing, Doppler, link budgets and their role in space network backbones.

• Engineers and researchers working on satellite and aerospace communication systems
• Graduate and postgraduate students in communications, aerospace engineering, and photonics
• Professionals from the space industry focusing on high-data-rate satellite networking
• Optical wireless communication researchers interested in space applications
• System architects and designers working on LEO, MEO, and GEO satellite constellations
• Academic staff involved in research and teaching in related areas
• Companies exploring inter-satellite communication technologies for future missions

• Introduction to Inter-Satellite Optical Wireless Communication
• Key system components and architectures (LEO-LEO, LEO-GEO, etc.)
• Advantages over RF systems (higher data rates, security, spectrum independence)
• Link budget analysis and pointing acquisition tracking (PAT) requirements
• Design considerations for spaceborne optical transceivers
• Atmospheric and space challenges (alignment, vibration, thermal effects)
• Pointing errors and beam control strategies for ISLs
• Modulation techniques for optical ISLs
• Error mitigation and coding techniques
• Future prospects: satellite mega-constellations, quantum communication via satellites
• Recent developments and experimental results from projects like TDRSS, Artemis, and LCRD

• Copy of the presentation slides (PDF)
• Downloadable video recording of the sessions (valid for 60 days)

⚠️ Important: The video is licensed for personal use only. Redistribution, sharing, or public posting of the course video is strictly prohibited.

* Session 1 (2.5 hours): Fundamentals and System Design of Inter-Satellite Optical Links (ISLs) * Session 2 (2.5 hours): Challenges, Mitigation Techniques, and Future Trends