An Optical Ground Station for the German Space Operations Center - Status and Outlook

Abstract

Over the past decade free-space optical communication has evolved to being deployed in operational space systems such as the European Data Relay Satellite system. Therefore, we expect more satellites to be equipped with laser communication terminals in the years to come. Whereas current applications of the technology focus on inter-satellite transmissions, laser-based space-to-ground connectivity has not gotten beyond its initial stages. This seems to be attributed to a chicken-and-egg problem: space systems engineers shy away from equipping spacecraft with direct-to-Earth optical terminals as an appropriate ground segment is missing; on the other hand, commercial satellite service providers are afraid to invest in an optical ground segment, as there are hardly any potential customers on the horizon. The European and German Space Operations Centers would like to overcome this dilemma. We have, therefore, together with industrial partners initiated a ground segment for space-to-ground optical communication in the first place. With a few upcoming in-orbit demonstrations of optical terminals we nourish hope to push the technology another step forward and to prove its maturity level to the space sector. Here, we give an outline of the developmental efforts at the German side. In particular, we survey several ground locations appropriate to support laser communications and detail the basic design of an optical ground station. Finally, we look ahead at possible future adaptations of this initial arrangement.