Summary Points:
- SES will test Cailabs’ optical ground stations for satellite communications.
- Laser-based optical links offer speeds up to 10 Gbps, about 100 times faster than home internet.
- Cailabs’ Multi-Plane Light Conversion mitigates atmospheric turbulence.
LUXEMBOURG - SES, a space solutions company in Luxembourg, said it will begin testing new optical ground stations built by Cailabs in Rennes, France, as part of efforts to transmit satellite data using laser beams instead of traditional radio frequencies.
Optical communication promises much faster speeds, greater security, and relief from congestion in increasingly crowded radio bands. The technology enables data transfers of up to 10 gigabits per second, about 100 times faster than typical home internet. Because laser beams are highly directional and difficult to intercept or jam, they are considered well-suited for secure military, government, and commercial applications.
The biggest technical hurdle has been Earth’s atmosphere. Just as stars appear to twinkle due to turbulence, light beams wobble and scatter as they pass through shifting air layers. Cailabs developed a solution called Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC), which stabilizes signals by correcting distortions in real time.
Related: Boeing delivers novel MEO communications satellite to SES
"Our Optical Ground Station technology, already field-proven with a variety of satellites and terminals, offers top performance in mitigating atmospheric turbulence and maintaining resilient communications," said Jean-François Morizur, CEO of Cailabs.
Testing
SES plans to test the new TILBA-OGS L10 stations, which support two-way 10 Gbps optical links and can be remotely operated for global deployment. The company expects these trials to pave the way for commercial integration of optical systems into its satellite network.
"Optical communication can provide much higher bandwidth, better data security, and less risk of spectrum congestion," said Carmel Ortiz, senior vice president of MEO Programs at SES. "The Cailabs Optical Ground Stations can play a central role in our global network of gateways with access to high-throughput infrastructure."
The shift from radio waves, which have dominated satellite communications since the 1960s, to optical links is seen as a key step in addressing limited spectrum availability. By opening access to new wavelengths of light, laser-based systems offer low probability of intercept, detection, and exploitation, critical features for next-generation space communications.
