China achieves first commercial satellite-ground laser high-speed image transmission test

A laser communication ground station independently developed by a satellite manufacturer and constellation operator in Northeast China's Jilin Province has successfully carried out a satellite-based high-speed laser image transmission test using a propriety satellite Jilin-1 MF02A04 star-borne laser terminal.

This is China's first successful test of a domestically developed, commercial satellite-based high-speed laser image transmission. The successful test signifies that Jilin Province has integrated engineering capabilities for the entire chain covering satellite-ground laser high-speed image transmission, highlighting that engineering application capacity has reached an advanced level in the world.

Starting from March 2020, the research team began comprehensive research and development work to perform the test. After more than three years of research and development, the current laser communication ground station not only achieved high bandwidth and miniaturization but can also be easily relocated and deployed, improving the reliability and stability of satellite-ground laser data transmission.

The communication bandwidth in this satellite-ground laser image transmission test reached 10 Gbps, over 10 times the bandwidth of traditional microwave data transmission. Bandwidth will be expanded to 40 Gbps to 100 Gbps during future tests, and multiple ground stations will be established across the country, which will significantly enhance the efficiency of acquiring remote sensing image data from the Jilin-1 constellation.

This independently developed laser communication ground station adopts a vehicle-mounted configuration, and possesses high bandwidth and compact features while being highly mobile.

The flexible adjustment of the ground station's location provides effective support for avoiding extreme weather conditions and atmospheric disturbances, greatly enhancing the reliability and stability of satellite-ground laser data transmission.

The company's core product — the Jilin-1 satellite family — is China's first domestic remote-sensing satellite constellation built for commercial purposes. It captures super high-definition images and helps with forest fire warnings, desertification, offshore rescue, ocean protection and other remote-sensing information services.

In June, the company conducted a successful space-to-ground high-speed laser communications experiment using the Jilin-1 MF02A04 satellite and laser ground system deployed by Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This latest success means China has successfully applied space-to-ground high-speed laser communications technology, which will lay a solid foundation for the expansion from microwaves to laser, the company said.

"Researchers from the company made a series of breakthroughs on key core technologies to ensure clear imaging of optical loads while meeting high standards for laser pointing accuracy and stability," said Chen Shanbo, chief designer of satellite Jilin-1 MF02A04. "The optical load image data transmitted successfully during the test showed good quality after analysis and can meet the requirements of business applications with high standards."

The breakthrough achieved by scientists will improve transmission capacity and security of China's space information network, enabling China to increase its transmission rates as the number of planned low Earth orbit constellations grows.

With the additional use of inter-satellite laser links, China will be better placed to overcome some of the challenges faced by relatively lower level of global ground station infrastructure.