IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - November/December 2021 - 21

Feature Article: Communications TechnologyCommunications
Free Space Optics for
Next-Generation Satellite
Networks
Aizaz U. Chaudhry and
Halim Yanikomeroglu
Carleton University
Abstract-Free space optics (FSO) refers to optical wireless communications in outdoor
environments. The aim of this article is to analyze the role that FSO is envisaged to play in
the creation of next-generation satellite networks. To begin with, the reader is introduced
to the types of FSO links and functionalities of a basic FSO system. Next, a comparison of
FSO and radio frequency (RF) technologies for intersatellite links (ISLs) is provided,
including a comparison between FSO and RF links when employed between low Earth orbit
satellites. After that, the types of FSO or laser ISLs are considered, and the challenges in
establishing laser ISLs, the properties of laser ISLs, and the capabilities of terminals for
laser ISLs are discussed. Then, the parameters of a satellite constellation are highlighted,
and different aspects of SpaceX's upcoming megaconstellation Starlink are explored. In
addition, the optical wireless satellite network that is created by utilizing laser ISLs is
examined. Finally, a use case is investigated for next-generation optical wireless satellite
networks that are envisioned by the mid to late 2020s.
WHAT IS FREE SPACE OPTICS?
& IN OPTICAL WIRELESS communications (OWC),
an optical carrier is employed to send information
over an unguided channel. In optical fiber
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MCE.2020.3029772
Date ofpublication 9 October 2020; date ofcurrent version 6
October 2021.
communications and OWC, lasers beams are
used for the data transfer. Unlike optical communications
over fiber, however, data in OWC are
sent over an unguided channel (or medium),
such as the atmosphere or the vacuum in space,
instead of a guided medium like optical fiber.
There are two main types of OWC: indoor and
outdoor. Outdoor OWC is referred to as free
November/December 2021
Published by the IEEE Consumer Technology Society
2162-2248 ß 2020 IEEE
21

IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - November/December 2021

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