Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2024 - 34

APPLICATION
BRIEFS
International Space Station Uses Cordierite Ceramic Mirror for
Optical Communication
Kyocera
Kyoto, Japan
global.kyocera.com
Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.
Tokyo, Japan
www.sonycsl.co.jp
K
yocera Corporation's " Fine Cordierite " ceramic mirror was
chosen for use in experimental equipment to conduct optical
communication between the International Space Station
(ISS) and a mobile optical station on Earth. This is the first
time a mirror made of cordierite ceramic was selected for use
in experimental optical communications equipment in the ISS.
The ceramic mirror has been adopted in the optical communication
antenna - Quantum-Small Optical Link (QSOL) -
developed by Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc. Developed
following a commission from Japan's Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications, QSOL is an optical communication
antenna component for the Secure Laser Communications
Terminal for Low Earth Orbit (SeCRETS) for on-orbit
technology demonstration.
SeCRETS was launched toward the ISS on August 2, 2023,
and installed on the external experiment platform of the
" Kibo " Japanese Experiment Module (Intermediate Space Environment
Experiment Platform [i-SEEP]). Subsequently, secret
key sharing was carried out using 10GHz clock optical
communication from the ISS in low orbit to a portable optical
ground station on the ground, and further successfully demonstrated
secure communication between the ISS and the ground
station using one-time pad encryption with the key.
The current method for two-way data communication between
Earth observation satellites in space and ground stations
involves using optical wireless communication with either radio
waves or visible light. This communication is essential for acquiring
image data for weather forecasting, disaster response,
and infrastructure monitoring.
Advancements in the sensors installed on Earth observation
satellites have resulted in an increased volume of obtainable
observation data. However, there is a pressing need to rapidly
transmit large amounts of observation data to ground stations.
Achieving high-speed and high-capacity data communication
has posed a challenge for space infrastructure. To address this
issue, the implementation of laser-light optical communication
is expected to enable data transmission and reception at speeds
over 100 times faster than radio wave communication with significantly
higher capacity.
Additionally, to transmit data from satellites to specific
ground stations by optical communication, it is necessary to
adjust the light to the optimal angle using optical mirrors. Conventionally,
metal or glass mirrors have been used, but nanoscale
precision is required for adjusting light. Therefore,
34
Secure Laser Communications Terminal for Low Earth Orbit (SeCRETS),
equipped with Kyocera's Fine Cordierite Ceramic Mirror. (Image: National
Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Sony Computer
Science Laboratories, Next Generation Space System Technology Research
Association)
Kyocera's Fine Cordierite Ceramic Mirror. (Image: Kyocera)
mirrors with long-term stable dimensional accuracy and the
ability to withstand thermal expansion and temperature changes
in the harsh space environment are needed.
In this experiment, Kyocera's Fine Cordierite ceramic mirror was
installed in QSOL due to its unique thermal and mechanical properties,
such as low thermal expansion and long-term dimensional
stability. With the success of this experiment, the company believes
its products can contribute to the construction of space infrastructure
aimed at achieving high-speed and high-capacity data communication
in satellite optical communication in the future.
This demonstration was conducted jointly by the National
Institute of Information and Communications Technology, the
School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, the Next Generation
Space System Technology Research Association, SKY
Perfect JSAT Corporation, and Sony CSL.
This article was contributed by Kyocera (Kyoto, Japan). For
more information, visit global.kyocera.com.
www.techbriefs.com
Tech Briefs, August 2024
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Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2024

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