Satellite communications systems today -- usually radio frequency (RF) -- tend to have low data rates and use a lot of on-board power. For CubeSats, communications often dominate the power budget. We investigate the use of modulating retro-reflectors (MRRs), previously demonstrated on the ground, for high data-rate communication downlinks from small satellites. A laser ground station would illuminate a retro-reflector on-board the satellite while an element in the retro-reflector modulates the intensity of the reflected signal, thereby encoding a data stream on the returning beam. A detector on the ground receives the data, keeping the complex systems and the vast majority of power consumption on the ground. Reducing the power consumption while increasing data rates would relax constraints on power budgets for small satellites, leaving more power available for payloads. In the future, this could enable the use of constellations of nano-satellites for a variety of missions, possibly leading to a paradigm shift in small satellite applications.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Modulating Retro-Reflectors: Technology, Link Budgets and Applications


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    63rd International Astronautical Congress ; 2012 ; Naples, Italy


    Publication date :

    2012-09-12


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English