Customer: DLR Oberpfaffenhofen
Optical communication promises the possibility to transmit a virtually unlimited amount of data from optical ground stations (OGS) to geostationary telecommunication satellites, without the need for licensing. However, optical communication is limited by atmospheric turbulences.
An artifical guide star, created in the mesosphere (90km) by propagating a sodium laser, is used to determine the atmospheric turbulence. This project aims at using this information to pre- correct the telecommunication laser to improve the signals exchange.
In this ESA project, KTO is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the optical feeder link with DLR Oberpfaffenhofen as prime.
