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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

A new way to transfer data to observatories - Laser bond

Recently open a new optical laser ground station in Spain on the island of Tenerife. Enhanced laser system requires a significantly higher speed and quality of the data in the interaction with spacecraft located outside our solar system. This system is ready for operation after a series of crucial tests on the ground.

Laser system, which transmits data in the infrared, can open the door to the future in the field of reception of large amounts of information received from the spacecraft from Earth orbit, and the orbit of Mars and other more distant planets.


As it turned out, such a system is lighter, smaller in size and requires less energy consumption than the radio system at the moment. They can cut costs and provide better opportunities for new, useful studies in astronomy.

ESA's optical ground station on Tenerife, will add two more of the same terminal in the United States. Together they will transmit data at an unprecedented rate, by using the infrared ray wavelength ranges similar to those used in fiber optic cables in the world.


Later this year, ESA observatory in Spain, plans to use the system to communicate with the spacecraft LADEE, by which is now the new moon program. 

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