JAXA and Sony CSL to Conduct In-Orbit Demonstrations of Long-Distance Laser Communication System

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Sony Computer Science Laboratories (Sony CSL) today announced their plans to conduct in-orbit demonstrations of the long-distance laser communication system, which they have jointly developed with the aim of establishing a real-time, mass-data communication system for future inter-satellite communications and communications with ground stations. The system, currently known as Small Optical Link for International Space Station (SOLISS), will be carried aboard the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV8) KOUNOTORI-8 , the cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS), which is scheduled for launch on September 11th, 2019. The in-orbit demonstrations will be conducted using the Exposed Facility of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Kibo.

In the upcoming in-orbit long-distance laser communication demonstrations, the SOLISS system will be attached to the IVA-replaceable Small Exposed Experiment Platform (i-SEEP) hardware adapter installed on the JEM’s Exposed Facility to perform ground-to-low earth orbit (LEO) optical communication testing using a 1550 nm bandwidth laser. JAXA and Sony plan to complete the demonstrations within fiscal year 2019.