ScyLight — ESA's secure and laser communication technology framework for SatCom

Abstract

ESA's Telecommunications and Integrated Applications Directorate (TIA) has launched a new ARTES programme element dedicated to Optical Communication Technologies, called ScyLight (SeCure and Laser communication Technology, pronounced “skylight”). ScyLight supports the development and deployment of innovative optical technologies for satellite communication as well as assist industry in developing new market opportunities for optical communication technologies. The commercial take-up of optical technologies is believed to be the next breakthrough in the Satcom market arena, addressing the need for the ever-increasing data rate and secure communication. Today's developments and early implementations cannot demonstrate the full capabilities of the optical communication technology, as the individual solutions are mainly embarked in non-optimized systems, focusing on one particular area only (e.g. high data rate transmission from one point to another). Although the strong position of the European and Canadian Industry has been demonstrated, the technology gap is still large lacking its proof in-orbit for the commercial use of optical applications. The programme will concentrate European and Canadian efforts on optical communication technologies in the following areas: •Optical Communication Technology at System Level •Optical Communication Terminal Technology •Intra-Satellite Photonics/Optical Payloads •Quantum Cryptography Technologies in Space and initial services demonstration The paper will give an overview of the ScyLight framework and inform about some of the activities planned under the new ARTES framework ScyLight.