Optical Feeder Links for GEO Satellites at Viasat Inc

This paper provides an overview of the activities on GEO Optical Feeder Links at Viasat Inc. In the last decade, laser communication has emerged as a promising technology for advancing the performance of high-capacity satellites and enhancing the security of data transfer, making it an interesting option to explore for satcom applications. This paper compares the characteristics of satellite optical feeder links with traditional radio frequency-based systems. The potential for high data throughput, reliability, improved network resilience, and compensation for atmospheric disturbances are examined. Several approaches for terminal design are considered with their impacts on the overall data transmission efficiency compared.