PhLEXSAT - A Very High Throughput Photo-Digital Communication Satellite Payload

Photonic components offer an advantage of minimizing the size, weight and power consumption (Swap) of a satellite communication payload. This paper presents how this can be utilized in Increasing the capacity of Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS) while reducing the cost at the same time. Photonics is capable of offering a limitless bandwidth in THz range at the band around 1550 nm while offering high data rates and frequencies with almost lossless propagation in an optical fibre. However, at present only a few demonstrations of photonic devices in non-critical equipment with limited degree of integration can be found in the satcom industry as we as in literature. With the advancement of the photonic technology, it is now possible to develop Tbps-like software defined photonic payload. PhLEXSAT project, funded under the European Union H2020, is led by DAS Photonics in cooperation with MDA UK, Eutelsat, Axenic, HHI Fraunhofer and Argotech.