LGS Innovations to Develop
Lightweight, Low-Power
Inter-Satellite Communication
Platform
LGS Innovations has been
awarded a contract to develop a
prototype pair of lightweight,
low-power optical communication
terminals that will allow for
light-based communication
between micro-satellites in
low-earth orbit.
Under the terms of the contract, LGS
will be responsible for developing a
pair of laser communication terminals to
be launched on two Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) small
satellites. The terminals are to be
extremely lightweight, weighing less
than two pounds each, and will operate
on less than three watts of power.
“Small satellites represent the next
generation of global communication
technologies,” said Kevin Kelly, CEO of
LGS Innovations. “A constellation of
small-satellites that can communicate
with each other will improve our armed
forces’ ability to send and receive data
from around the planet quickly, safely,
securely, and at the lowest cost to
date.”
This is the second DARPA contract
announced by LGS in recent weeks and is
in support of the Inter-Satellite
Communication Link project, which seeks
to enable direct communication within
constellations of small satellites
(weighing less than 100 pounds each).
Once completed and deployed, the
terminals will allow for jam-resistant,
high-data-rate, low-latency
communication within a network of
hundreds of small satellites.
“This program will demonstrate the
feasibility of high-bandwidth laser
communication between small satellites,”
said Dr. Linda Braun, Vice President of
LGS Innovations Photonics Applications &
Development. “This is increasingly
viewed as an essential part of the DoD’s
communication network, because of their
lower cost and higher survivability.”
