Optical space communications: a key building block for wide area space networks

Space laser communications technology has been under development for over thirty years. The technology promises high capacity, low power consumption, light weight, small sizes and low costs for satellite crosslinks. It will be a key and critical building block for wide area space networks, supporting mobile users (terrestrial, airborne and spaceborne), high speed data services for small satellite terminals and serving as a backbone network for high speed trunking.