The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR), working in conjunction with ADVA, set a new data transmission record of 13.16 Tbps for free-space laser communications.
The trial, which emulated a ground to a geostationary satellite link, succeeded in transmitting 13.16 Tbps of data over a distance of 10.45km – nearly eight times the DLR’s previous record. The setup involved a laser at a ground station in Weilheim, Germany, and a mock satellite more than 10km away on the mountain Hohenpeißenberg.
DLR developed the free-space terminal technology. ADVA supplied its FSP 3000 CloudConnect platform including its QuadFlex line cards. These support high-order coherent modulation schemes and enabled each wavelength to carry 200 Gbps payload data using dual-polarization 16QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) and strong soft-decision forward error correction. Atmospheric turbulence in the terrestrial link was equivalent to that experienced in a worst-case scenario between ground and geostationary satellites.
“This trial is a significant milestone in the evolution of stable, high-speed communication via satellite. It’s showing the industry that multi-Terabits of data can be transported every second via satellites using free-space laser communications,” said Christoph Günther, director, DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation. “One of our core aims is helping to achieve global connectivity and this test is a big part of realizing that goal. Through a lot of close collaboration between the DLR and ADVA teams, we’ve been able to demonstrate that this approach is not only feasible but that it’s ready to be used to transmit the enormous amounts of data needed for tomorrow’s users. Setting this benchmark brings high-speed broadband for everyone a step closer to reality.”
“Together with the DLR team, we’re helping shape the future of connectivity. This trial shows the full potential of free-space laser links to transform communications across the globe. We’re proud that our FSP 3000 CloudConnect is making it possible,” commented Jörg-Peter Elbers, SVP, advanced technology, ADVA. “Throughout the tests, the stability of the connection was vital. Even short interruptions of only milliseconds mean Gigabits of lost data. Thankfully, our FSP 3000 CloudConnect™ is one of the most resilient platforms on the market. This trial is about delivering the transformative power of the internet to communities and countries that need it most. By enabling affordable, reliable broadband via satellite at speeds that make a difference, we really are helping to close the digital divide.”
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