A new design of WDM-based optical inter-satellite links in modern small satellite constellations

Through the detail analysis of inter-satellites links in modern small satellite constellations, a new optical filters-based four-channel wavelength division multiplexer was designed and fabricated. This WDM device working at 0.85, 1.06, 1.31 and 1.55μm is designed to build an optical inter-satellites link, which provide two data streams at 0.85 and 1.55μm, an inter-satellite tracking channel at 1.06μm, and an different orbit communication channel at 1.31μm. Through experiments, we got the channel download efficiencies at 0.85, 1.06, 1.31 and 1.55μm are 49.7%, 42.3%, 33.4% and 25.1% and the channel interval is 5mm. The features of small size and light weight make this WDM device quite attractive for space borne applications and the big channel interval could also accommodate the wavelength shifts due to Doppler Effect, temperature variations and radiation effects in space.