Phase II Amount
$1,749,781
Laser communications (lasercom), also referred to as optical communications, provides the capability to meet the growing needs of US Military applications requiring high bandwidth, high-availability, low-latency, survivable, and secure links. Better than gigabit (Gb) per second data rates are achievable by laser communication, and are suitable for voice over IP (VoIP), streaming data, streaming high- definition video, and large file transfer. A high level of security is achieved through low probability of detection (LPD) and low probability of intercept (LPI) inherent to laser transmissions. In addition, optical communication is unaffected by radio frequency (RF) interference, and not subject to government spectrum licensing requirements. Small, compact laser terminals allow for system integration into ground vehicles, aircraft, and spacecraft. Vision Engineering Solutions (Vision) proposes to deliver two Optical Ground Stations (OGS) to NIWC, as part of this Direct to Phase II SBIR program to support laser communication. One OGS will be part of a fixed site, and the other will be a transportable design. Both systems will be capable of day and night operations, communicating with satellites across Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO), and compensating for atmospheric turbulence. The top-level component of each OGS are the Pointing and Tracking System and the Optical Platform. These components will be controlled from a common rack mount computer system, designated the Sensor Control Computer. Visions development approach takes into account technical, schedule, and cost risks. As government and commercial operators increasingly seek to use laser communication in space systems, low cost Optical Ground Stations will be enabling elements of the overall communications architecture. Low cost and interoperability of the terminals will reduce the capital expenses associated with establishment of a geographically dispersed network necessary to serve a range of satellite orbits and assure access in the event of cloud cover or other weather. This SBIR will result in a final design for a ground terminal that meets the Governments stated performance requirements and is suitable for integration in existing or future global ground station networks. As the next step toward an operational capability, performance of the OGSs will be demonstrated with a government satellite.
Benefit: Benefits Depending on the end user requirements, such as the number of satellites to downlink, and degree of control over the communication system, ground based solutions range from a single OGS to a network of dozens of OGSs, and from government ownership to commercial network providers. The aim of the OGS network business model is to reduce the price per gigabit of data delivered, as compared to RF communication, while removing from the customer the capital expenditure burden of building its own network. The ability to downlink from a single LEO small satellite 2-5 Terabytes (TB) per day, ten times more data than current RF systems, without significant investment in ground systems or ITU slots, will foster a revolutionary change in the communication industry. Network providers anticipate an Ethernet-based rate of 10Gbps from space at a per GB price less than 50% of current RF network providers. Commercial Market The commercial free space optics (FSO) market is expected to grow from $237M in 2019 to $2.2B by 2028 at a CAGR of 24.9%, according to a Market.US report. Factors driving the growth of the FSO market include increased data rates, last-mile connectivity, no licensing, and overburdened RF technology for outdoor networking. A sponsored research report from Northern Sky Research (NSR) and ArgoSat Consulting that BridgeComm, Inc. commissioned in the Fall of 2015, detailed the following key findings: annual data downlinked by satellites less than 500 kg is projected to reach 8.2 Exabytes by 2024, a 125% CAGR during 2015-24; significant growth from commercial communications providers and Earth Observation constellations; and, among satellite operators, increasing bandwidth is the pressing issue. Multiple efforts are underway by commercial entities to establish optical communication ground networks- Empower Space, Analytical Space, and BridgeComm, for examples. All are planning networks of dozens of OGSs. Vision has limited first-hand experience and knowledge in the commercial OGS network market from a contract we had with BridgeComm, Inc. to build an OGS, and discussions with Laser Light Communications, Inc., and Atlas Space Operations, Inc. We expect the highest return on company investment to come from global OGS network providers. The network providers want volume discounts, commonality of parts, and minimal customization, to keep their costs low, and the price of their data competitive. Government Market A major question for federal agencies is whether their data requirements are best met from a commercial network, a government network, or dedicated agency asset(s). Until those decisions are made by and for multiple agencies, it is speculative to estimate the government FSO market. In the meantime, it is reasonable to expect that as the government invests in advances in satellite capabilities, it will require OGSs to validate and utilize those capabilities.
Keywords: communication network, on-off keying, optical communication, Laser Communication, fast steering mirror, Optical Wireless, optical ground station, lasercom
