HartSCI is pleased to announce that the company is contracted to deliver adaptive optics technology to a customer in support of ground-to-space laser communications. Space systems currently form the backbone of worldwide communications networks, both civilian and military. Communication links between orbiting satellites and between the satellites and their ground stations have historically relied on radio waves, but much greater bandwidth can be supported by optical links using lasers. Lasers also offer greater security because it’s very difficult to intercept them.
Fouling up the promise of high bandwidth in the ground links is turbulence in the atmosphere, which causes the laser on the satellite to appear to fade in and out similarly to the twinkling we see when we look at stars at night. HartSCI’s world-leading AO technology can fix that, restoring the full performance of the communication link.
HartSCI’s ClearStar LC™ laser communication AO system is built on the same technology as other products in the ClearStar line. It is designed to work in the 1530 – 1630 nm C and L telecom bands and uses either a small fraction of the IR signal beam or (if available) a separate beacon on the spacecraft to provide the signal necessary to sense the real-time atmospheric distortion.
“With the addition of the LC system to our lineup, HartSCI has expanded into the market for space-based communication which will support the growing worldwide demand for greater connectivity and bandwidth,” notes HartSCI President Dr. Michael Hart. “This is an important step for the company as we continue to broaden the base of applications for our technology.”
To learn more about the ClearStar LC™ laser communication system and other products in HartSCI’s portfolio, contact us through our website at hartsci.com.