Developing Commercial Optical Communication Ground Segment Services for Future Satellite Missions in collaboration with Japan’s Infostellar
Oxford, United Kingdom – Archangel Lightworks, a wireless connectivity company, has been selected for the 2023 EUREKA Globalstars Japan Program which is a collaboration between Innovate UK and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). In collaboration with the Japanese company, Infostellar Inc., Archangel Lightworks aims to develop and showcase new optical communication technologies through this R&D project that will contribute to more capable ground station services.
The selected research theme is "Development of Commercial Optical Communication Ground Segment Services for Future Satellite Missions." The demand for faster satellite communications is growing, driven by the increasing functionality of satellites and the higher precision of satellite observation images. Additionally, concerns about the depletion of frequency resources are rising against the backdrop of a sharp increase in the number of satellite launches. As a result, there is growing interest in optical communication, with companies beginning to experiment with operating satellites using onboard optical communication terminals. However, few companies are implementing optical communication solutions for both the space and ground segments.
Infostellar and Archangel Lightworks will collaborate on this R&D project to set up and commercialise one of the world's first optical ground station services. Infostellar currently develops and operates a GSaaS platform called StellarStation, which is currently dedicated to radio-based ground stations. Archangel Lightworks’ product, the TERRA-M, is a deployable optical ground station which allows for high-volume, secure optical links between space and ground. By integrating the TERRA-M into the StellarStation platform, the aim of the project is to develop the world's first GSaaS platform that offers both radio and optical services for satellite missions. To establish this service, the collaboration partners will implement new service functionality such as advanced scheduling and failover management [1] that are needed to enable the inclusion of optical ground stations in GSaaS networks.
[1] Failover is the switching from one ground station to another ground station with a higher probability of successful communication. In the case of optical communications, this can be managed by switching to an optical ground station with clearer skies or a standby radio ground station.
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■ Comments from Richard Johanson, CEO of Archangel Lightworks
“Archangel Lightworks is excited to be collaborating with Infostellar to bring optical capabilities to the GSaaS market using their StellarStation platform and the TERRA-M optical ground station. Consistent, high-volume links between space and ground are a vital missing piece of today’s data infrastructure. Solving this problem together with Infostellar will open up a wide range of new use cases for Earth Observation and communications.”
■ Comments from Naomi Kurahara, CEO of Infostellar
“Infostellar is very pleased to be working with Archangel Lightworks on “Research and development of commercial optical communication ground segment services for future satellite missions”. Our mission is “We connect Earth and Space to empower the future”. And we aim to “Be the most effective enabler of space business by providing the best access to satellite”, as our vision. By jointly developing optical communication ground station services with Archangel Lightworks, we hope to contribute to the success of satellite operators' missions by addressing the need for faster satellite communications and the challenge of frequency resource depletion.”
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■ About Archangel Lightworks
Archangel Lightworks builds deployable communication systems to connect networks in space with networks on the ground. Today’s data infrastructure is insecure, insufficient, and vulnerable. Better connecting non-terrestrial and terrestrial networks offers resilience, capacity, and capability; however, high-volume, secure links between space and ground are needed. Archangel Lightworks uses wireless laser communications technologies to enable and improve global connectivity. Founded in 2017, Archangel Lightworks is headquartered in Oxford, UK and has offices in the UK and the US. To learn more about Archangel Lightworks, visit www.archangel.works.
■ About TERRA-M
Archangel Lightworks’ TERRA-M is a miniature Optical Ground Station (OGS) designed for autonomous, multi-mission capability. The TERRA-M brings deployable, resilient connectivity to wherever it is needed, providing flexible data infrastructure to support solutions to some of Earth’s most critical problems from economic inclusion to climate change. The TERRA-M is the most convenient way for cloud providers, network operators and governments to immediately deploy secure, high-volume connectivity to and from space.
■ About Infostellar
Infostellar is a satellite 'Ground Segment as a Service' (GSaaS) provider. Infostellar provides flexible and scalable ground station services enabled by our cloud platform, StellarStation, which virtualizes ground station networks. Infostellar also provides support for the ground segment operations necessary for satellite operations, such as radio license acquisition and frequency coordination operations. By lowering the barriers to entry in the ground segment, Infostellar empowers new space businesses to build better missions and improve the quality of their service. Founded in 2016, Infostellar is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and has offices in the UK and the US. To learn more about Infostellar, visit https://www.infostellar.net/.
■ About StellarStation
StellarStation is Infostellar’s unique cloud-based platform that provides Satellite Operators with easy access to an expansive and ever-growing network of ground stations around the world. Whether your satellite mission is a global, space-based communications network of high performing satellites; a constellation of Earth Observation satellites or a single, cubesat-based experiment, StellarStation provides services that scale to meet a variety of service needs. Access your satellite data from anywhere in the world. Your data appears where you need it, when you need it and in the most cost-effective manner. Communicate with your orbiting satellites for command and control frequently and efficiently. To learn more about StellarStation, visit https://www.stellarstation.com/.
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