Compact Hybrid Optical/RF User Segment (CHORUS): RF Terminal Design

The CHORUS project aims to build on existing world leading Australian technology in compact RF tactical terminals and optical communication to develop “leap-frogging” technology that exploits bearer diversity through a highly integrated hybrid Optical/RF tactical terminal. The development of a hybrid RF-optical SATCOM terminal is seen to be a critical step to the acceptance of optical communications by users that require high availability and the performance advantages offered by free-space optical communications. If successful, this will place Australia in a leading position to create new capabilities for compact, high data rate, high availability satellite earth terminals for commercial and national security markets. In this paper, we will concentrate on the performance of the RF element of CHORUS.