A laser-equipped ground station in northern Greece supports ESA-backed CubeSat missions that test laser-based communications between satellites and Earth. The Holomondas Optical Ground Station was built through the PeakSat project with support from the European Space Agency and Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance. It receives satellite data using infrared laser links instead of traditional radio systems. Two Greek CubeSats launched in March under ESA’s Greek IOD/IOV mission program carry Astrolight’s ATLAS-1 optical communication terminal. Astrolight also built the ground segment, creating an end-to-end optical communications setup. The station uses an 808-nanometer laser beacon and an optical C-band receiver capable of up to 2.5 Gbps. Optical links use tightly focused infrared beams that are harder to intercept or jam and can provide higher throughput than RF.
"Europe's hunt for secure, high-capacity satellite communications infrastructure has produced a laser-equipped mountaintop ground station in northern Greece."
"The Holomondas Optical Ground Station was built through the PeakSat project, led by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with backing from the European Space Agency and Greece's Ministry of Digital Governance. Its job is to receive data from satellites via infrared laser links rather than the radio systems that space operators have relied on for decades."
"The company says the station uses an 808-nanometer laser beacon and an optical C-band receiver capable of receiving data at up to 2.5 Gbps. Unlike traditional RF systems, optical links use tightly focused infrared beams that are harder to intercept or jam while also supporting significantly higher throughput."
"PeakSat and ERMIS-3, two Greek CubeSats launched in March under ESA's wider Greek IOD/IOV mission program, both carry Astrolight's ATLAS-1 optical communication terminal. Astrolight also built the ground segment, giving the project a fully integrated end-to-end optical communications setup."
#optical-satellite-communications #cubesats #laser-ground-stations #esa-missions #secure-high-capacity-networking
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