TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD): a demonstration of large-volume direct-to-Earth data transfer from low-Earth orbit

B. S. Robinson; D. M. Boroson; C. M. Schieler; F. I. Khatri; O. Guldner; S. Constantine; T. Shih; J. W. Burnside; B. C. Bilyeu; F. Hakimi; A. Garg; G. Allen; E. Clements; D. M. Cornwell

doi:10.1117/12.2295023

15 February 2018 TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD): a demonstration of large-volume direct-to-Earth data transfer from low-Earth orbit

B. S. Robinson, D. M. Boroson, C. M. Schieler, F. I. Khatri, O. Guldner, S. Constantine, T. Shih, J. W. Burnside, B. C. Bilyeu, F. Hakimi, A. Garg, G. Allen, E. Clements, D. M. Cornwell

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10524, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXX; 105240V (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2295023
Event: SPIE LASE, 2018, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Delivery of large volumes of data from low-Earth orbit to ground is challenging due to the short link durations associated with direct-to-Earth links. The short ranges that are typical for such links enable high data rates with small terminals. While the data rate for radio-frequency links is typically limited by available spectrum, optical links do not have such limitations. However, to date, demonstrations of optical links from low-Earth orbit to ground have been limited to ~10 to ~1000 Mbps. We describe plans for NASA’s TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) system, which will demonstrate a direct-to-Earth optical communication link from a CubeSat in low-Earth orbit at burst rates up to 200 Gbps. Such a link is capable of delivering >50 Terabytes per day from a small spacecraft to a single small ground terminal.

Citation Download Citation

B. S. Robinson, D. M. Boroson, C. M. Schieler, F. I. Khatri, O. Guldner, S. Constantine, T. Shih, J. W. Burnside, B. C. Bilyeu, F. Hakimi, A. Garg, G. Allen, E. Clements, and D. M. Cornwell "TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD): a demonstration of large-volume direct-to-Earth data transfer from low-Earth orbit ", Proc. SPIE 10524, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXX, 105240V (15 February 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2295023

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