Laser Communications Will Transform How Government And Industry Use Space
.By Dan GouréMarch 02, 2022
Space is definitely the high ground when it comes to many military, scientific and economic activities. As the world becomes more information-intensive, the ability to move data rapidly, reliably, and cheaply will be of enormous advantage. Governments, private companies, and scientific organizations are rushing to build large satellite constellations to enhance surveillance of the Earth, explore space, and improve the movement of data. Nations able to deploy robust space-based laser communications systems will reap military, scientific and commercial benefits.
Government and private satellite networks are growing in capability and scale. Currently, there are about 4,500 satellites in orbit, the vast majority in low Earth orbit (LEO). But there are plans to deploy thousands more over the next few decades to surveil both Earth and airspace and enhance reliable global communications.
For instance, the U.S. Space Force is considering deploying two large satellite constellations, one to image the Earth and detect missile launches and a second to facilitate global communications. As for the private sector, SpaceX’s Starlink global information constellation could consist of up to 42,000 satellites. These emerging networks will require faster and dependable ways of moving always-increasing amounts of information around the world.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2022/03/02/laser_communications_will_transform_how_government_and_industry_use_space_819565.html
