A laser communication ground system featuring a 500mm-caliber antenna was successfully deployed on Sunday on the Pamir Plateau in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Developed by the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this groundbreaking system marks a significant shift from sole reliance on microwave ground stations for satellite data reception. The new laser communication technology is expected to greatly enhance China’s capacity for transmitting massive amounts of satellite data.
“With the rapid advancements in China’s aerospace technology, the volume of data generated by satellite detection is growing exponentially,” said Li Yalin, a senior engineer at AIR. “The current inability to transmit this massive amount of data promptly has become a significant problem, limiting the efficient utilization of our space resources.”
Satellite-to-ground laser communications offer abundant spectrum resources and a bandwidth that is about 10 to nearly 1,000 times wider than that of microwave communications. Additionally, the equipment is lighter, the system size is smaller, and it has lower power consumption.
“This technology can address the growing demand for efficient and reliable transmission of information gathered by satellites,” Li added.
The successful deployment of the laser communication ground station on the Pamir Plateau represents a major step forward in China’s aerospace capabilities. By leveraging laser technology, China aims to overcome existing bottlenecks in satellite data transmission and fully harness the potential of its rapidly expanding space resources.
Reference(s):
China builds station for satellite-ground laser communication
cgtn.com
