The Suffa project and high capacity channels for deep space communications systems incorporating cryogenic elements

The problem of long-range space communications systems with high-capacity channels is topical due to a series of deep space projects being currently implemented, such as international missions Exo-Mars and Millimetron. To maximize the rate of the data transfer in space communications systems, antennas with maximum available dimensions are used to provide reasonable capacity. We are offering an approach to increase the capacity of data transfer channels by use of a combination of a large antenna and wide-bandwidth, high-capacity, low-noise, high-frequency cryogenic receivers. When the communication is performed in the millimeter waveband the atmospheric propagation becomes the essential limiting factor to the use of the channel. The theoretical estimations of capacity limits under different atmospheric conditions for diverse hardware and the results of experiments are presented.