German Roadmap on Optical and Quantum Communication

While the use of optical communication in space was still a vision of the distant future, the Space Agency at DLR had realised the potential the new technology had to offer. We have supported the industrial and scientific landscape in the development of the necessary technologies from the early days programmatically, politically, and financially. Through this systematic facilitation optical communication links for space-to-space, space-to-ground, and space-to-air connectivity have been demonstrated successfully. The application of optical communication in space has now left its infancy. It is not just institutional customers that fly optical terminals in small numbers on demonstration missions. With the increasing number of global constellations in the private sector the commercial operators see the necessity to complement classical radio frequency systems with laser communication. The high demand for connectivity and data rates can only be met with optical inter-satellite and space-to-ground links. A transformation of the industrial landscape is therefore inevitable. Standardisation and serial production are current focal points, as well as increased capabilities. We support disruptive NewSpace approaches to advance the technology to the next level. We have done so in the past, both on national and European level, and will continue to do so. ESA’s ScyLight programme is a priority for the Space Agency at DLR. ScyLight offers possibilities to support the development of dedicated key technologies through workplan and industry-initiated activities to guarantee a strong European footprint for technologies and services. IRIS
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will have a key influence on the future European satellite communication sector. The focus of IRIS
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is security and resiliency which can only be achieved by using optical and quantum communication. The Space Agency at DLR will work with the EU and ESA towards a successful implementation of the IRIS
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system based on the meanwhile advanced optical communication technology.