EDRS: First image transfer via laser established
Technology from Backnang enables image transfer on the SpaceDataHighway for the first time
PI1274 – Backnang, 02.06.2016: With the help of the Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) from Tesat-Spacecom yesterday, 1st June, two images - taken by the Sentinel-1A satellite - were transferred via laser link. The EDRS-A relais satellite sent the images of the Sentinel fully automatic to the Mission Operations Center at Airbus Defence and Space in Germany, who received them in the time span of one minute. The motive of the photos was the island La Réunion and its costal region.
The LCT from the high technology incubator from Backnang is of high importance for the European Data Relais System, since with the help of it data connections across 80,000 kilometres with a data transfer rate of up to 1.8 gigabit per second are possible. This possibility enables the fast and secure transfer of big data in short time and paves the way for a variety of applications: links between satellites, to UAVs, drones or airplanes. By that it has a central role in the context of disaster and environmental protection.
The European mammoth project is the result of a private-public partnership between ESA and Airbus Defence and Space and enables through the interaction of several geostationary relais satellites data transfer sizes of up to 50 terabyte per day, in which the data is transferred in nearly real time. First customer of this project, for which by now almost 500 million Euro in development costs were spent, is the European Commission.
About Tesat: Over the course of five decades, Tesat-Spacecom has developed in-depth expertise in manufacturing of payload equipment for communication satellites and has established itself as a clear European market leader. On its 60,000m² premises in Backnang, Germany, 1,200 employees develop, assemble, integrate, and test systems and equipment for telecommunication via satellite. To date, more than 700 space projects have been completed. The accumulated in orbit lifetime heritage exceeds 250 million hours.
Further information for journalists:
Tesat-Spacecom GmbH & Co KG
Nina Backes, Communications
Gerberstrasse 49, D-71522 Backnang
Tel.: +49-7191-930-1126
E-Mail: info[at]tesat.de