1. Optical link architecture

1.1 General description

Communication takes place either between two terminals located on two different satellites or, exceptionally, between a satellite and a ground receiving station (links with distant probes, for example). Let's consider the case of an intersatellite link (LEO-GEO, LEO-LEO or GEO-GEO). Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram.

The signal to be transmitted is obtained in the form of an electric current modulated either directly by a semiconductor laser (associated with direct power detection), or indirectly, by...