Modeling and performance study of inter-satellite optical wireless communication system

Abstract

Optical communications systems have evolved from lengthy fibers to powerful wireless system. This has hence resulted in the use of optical wireless communication system in space communications. As the number of satellites orbiting Earth increase year by year, a network between the satellites provides a method for them to communicate with each other. This is important for satellites to send information to one another and also to relay the information from one satellite to another satellite and then to the ground stations. By using laser satellite communication, the satellites can be connected with data rates up to several Gbps. The paper will present the optical wireless communication (IsOWC) link performance focusing on data transfer between Low Earth Orbit satellites. The system performance including bit rates, input power, wavelength and distance on an inter-satellite link were analyzed.