200 Gbps TBIRD CubeSat downlink: pre-flight test results

Abstract

The Terabyte Infrared Delivery (TBIRD) program will establish an optical communication link from a 6U nanosatellite in low-Earth orbit to a ground station at burst rates up to 200 Gbps. The system is capable of reliable data delivery from a 2-TB storage buffer on the payload to a ground terminal in the presence of atmospheric fading. An overview of the communication architecture for TBIRD is provided as well as results from communications performance testing of the 3U lasercom payload prior to spacecraft integration. Launch is scheduled for mid-year 2022.