SkyLight Workshop ESTEC, 08/02/2017 D. Mignolo, P. Haines

Potential Markets for Optical Communications

ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

User needs Always be connected

From low to high data rate

High Q.o.S

Low cost solution

Highly integrated user terminals

Any device, Anytime, Anywhere

Security

What Users Want Today

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 2 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

Can Optical Comms Answer the Market Needs?

Huge amounts of satellite capacity coming to market Optical could provide an efficient solution

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 3 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

The Satcom Value chain is under pressure to: ü  deliver low cost solutions: e.g. user terminal, cost per Mbps ü  increase quality of service: e.g. data rate, security, availability, ü  develop highly integrated equipment and systems ü  offer connectivity @anytime, anywhere ü  Reduce time to deliver

Four disruptive technology/ product domains have been identified as key enablers to to capture emerging opportunities

Low Cost Self Scanning Antenna

High Frequency Bands

/Optical Highly Integrated

Systems Additive

Manufacturing

Impact of Changing Market Environment: 4 Technology Pillars

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 4 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

Why Shift to Higher frequency and Optical?

As already happened with Ku and Ka band in the past, a shift to high frequency (Q/V, W, Optics) is expected. Exploitation requires innovation at both system and product level. Operators already request it and co-funded activities in ARTES are growing to develop new solutions.

Today’s available Satcom technologies and spectrum availability would limit Satcom fixed systems to meet user expectations by the 2020 time frame.

The telecommunication trend of offering higher peak rate together with growing connectivity penetration rates is dramatically increasing the demand for bandwidth resources.

The challenge for future Satcom fixed systems to remain competitive is to offer 10 times more aggregate capacity with flexible allocation while lowering cost per capacity unit.

Demand

Objective

Today’s Limits

Innovate

ü  Optical Payload (GEO, LEO, MEO, HAPS)

ü  Inter satellite Links

ü  Broadband Feeder Link

ü  Data Relay Services

ü  High Data Rate Trunking

ü  UAV / RPAS communication

Area of Application of Optical Technologies

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 6 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

OPTICAL technology: PROs and CONs

More bandwidth available

Increased Capacity by freeing up Ka Band for user link for High Throughput

Systems (HTS)

Reduction of the number of GW’s for HTS

Additional “broadband service” orbital

positions

Compact equipment for high data rates

Limited external system interference sources, Anti-jamming, Security

Higher atmospheric losses

Less mature technologies

Lower HPA efficiency

RF conversion losses

Tighter Tolerances

Accurate pointing and tracking

Geo Location: political,

regulatory, network infrastructure

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 7 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

HTS, LEO require large number of Gateways. Optic ISL will reduce number of HUBs

Operator Orbit Number of Satellites

SpaceX Ku-band LEO 4,425 Boeing Q/V-band LEO 2,956 OneWeb Ku-band LEO 648 Kepler LEO 140 Telesat Ka-band LEO 117 Theia LEO 112 LEOSat LEO 108 O3b MEO 60 Boeing Ka-band LEO 60 ViaSat Ka-band MEO 24

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 8 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

Where to place the Gateways?

Atacama desert, middle-eastern desert

Blue sky region offer higher system availability BUT

Lack of Infrastructure to deliver broadband

connection, power, skilled manpower Political constrains

Fragmented Regulatory Aspects

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 9 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

Investigation of technology in different domains and study propagation just started. Some technology de-risking activities are already supported in ARTES. Space: ü  Photonic integrated technology ü  Microwave photonics e.g antenna beam forming network/ RF generation ü  High speed interconnects/switches ü  Photonic Phased array ü  Small optical terminal

Ground/System ü  Optical feeder links ü  Adaptive optics ü  Optimized Communication link

EDRS: successful optical communication

How ARTES is supporting the Optical Technology

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 10 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

Earth Observation (EO) data backhaul ESA’s EDRS/GlobeNet

Europe is leading D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 11 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

ESA MS Industry is leading on the Optical technology, however technology and products still need to mature:

Space: ü  Compact and efficient optical terminal ü  Optical frequency generation and signal distribution ü  High bandwidth modulator for analog/microwave applications ü  high order cross-connect switch and interconnect of DSP ü  Photonic RF filter

Ground ü  Optical feeder links ü  Adaptive optics ü  High power laser sources

System ü  Optimized and Standardized Communication Air Interface and system

Architecture ü  Smart gateways diversity ü  Potential Spin-off in other market segments and applications

Optical Communications Future Evolutions

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 12 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

ü  Optical Technology is considered a key enabler for Satcom to capture future opportunities

ü  Industrial heritage and capabilities are present in all ESA MS

ü  However the technology maturity is at low TRL and market risk is high

ü  ARTES Core Competitiveness and ScyLight are the programmatic tools to support ESA MS Industry to develop Optical technology and capability and be at the forefront of innovation to capture future opportunities

Conclusions

D Mignolo, Ph Haines | 08/02/2017 | Slide 13 ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use