High Throughput Laser Communications to Tundra Orbits

Abstract

Future Very High-Throughput Satellites are foreseen to implement optical ground-to-satellite feeder links to achieve multi-terabit-per-second data rates. Optical links however, are highly susceptible to atmospheric losses caused by turbulence, absorption, and scattering, especially at low elevation angles. Despite prior confirmation of the feasibility of cloud-free network availability, high-latitude stations have been notably absent from optical feeder link studies due to the limitation of Geostationary orbits in providing sufficiently high link elevation angles. Tundra orbits present a promising alternative to Geostationary orbit, requiring two satellites to ensure uninterrupted coverage of high-latitude regions like Europe and Canada with link geometries highly suitable for optical communication. This paper addresses optical feeder link implementation aspects in Tundra orbits and selects a suitable orbit to service Canada while considering aspects such as coverage, radiation environment, pointing angles, and delta-v impact. End-to-end simulations, including downlink and uplink amplitude statistics, are presented to assess dynamic turbulence penalties. These simulations focus on angular anisoplanatism and highlight the link geometry impact on adaptive optics efficacy. This analysis anticipates a mean 4.1 and 4.7 dBm link budget advantage for Tundra configurations for two and three satellites respectively. These findings highlight Tundra constellations' potential to enhance satellite communication infrastructure, providing robust, efficient service in regions where Geostationary orbits faces limitations.