IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - June 2023 - 5

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In this article, terahertz technology for space is presented
as a solution to meet both demands for spectrum and desire
for high data rates. In the " Device Overview " section, stateof-the-art
terahertz sources and detectors are identified and
compared to optical wireless communication devices for
cross-link satellite communication systems. Then, in the
" Signals in Space " section, terahertz and optics are compared
in terms of propagation in space. A performance analysis
between terahertz and optical wireless communication technologies
is performed in the " Performance in Space " section
to numerically demonstrate the tradeoffs among the two technologies.
Finally, in the " Roadmap " section, a detailed roadmap
is established to identify the path going forward for both
terahertz and optical wireless communication.
DEVICE OVERVIEW
DEVICE REQUIREMENTS IN SPACE
A good reference for high-data-rate communication outlook
for future spacecraft is NASA's Deep Space Optical
Communication Initiative (DSOC), which calls for errorfree
communication data rates in space to be increased by
10 to 100 times over the current state of the art, without
increasing mass, volume, or power [14]. This requirement
becomes more rigorous for CubeSats, which have significantly
smaller structures and lower power budgets [15].
The state of the art for each technology for optical technology
in space has been extensively explored in [16], and
advancements in terahertz communication technology
have been extensively described in [17]. This section highlights
technologies drawing a fundamental comparison in
system architecture.
TERAHERTZ DEVICES
While many satellites have previously flown (and currently
fly) terahertz devices for Earth and space active and
passive sensing [18], such devices have not yet been used
for space communication. Terahertz technologies are
mostly classified as electronics, photonics, and hybrid
combinations of the two.
TERAHERTZTRANSCEIVERS
Electronic terahertz technology. Compared to vacuum
electronics being developed for terahertz applications,
solid-state terahertz devices are more suitable for space
due to compactness, reliability, and cost. Terahertz signals
can be generated using complementary-metal-oxide
Figure 1.
Projected integration of satellites for space-based Internet and 6th Generation (6G) wireless communication, along with the integration of
Internet of Things (IoT) devices, involving both users and gateways [5].
JUNE 2023
IEEE A&E SYSTEMS MAGAZINE
5

IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - June 2023

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IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - June 2023 - Cover2
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