Performance analysis of inter-satellite optical

wireless communication (IsOWC) system at 980

nm and 1550 nm wavelengths
Navjot Kaur Gaurav Soni
M-Tech Scholar Associate Professor

Dept. of Electronics & Communication Department of Electronics & Communication

Amritsar College of Engineering & Tech.. Amritsar College of Engineering & Tech.

Amritsar, Punjab, India Amritsar, Punjab, India

[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract—Free space optical communication provides a nications system uses microwave technology for space-
unique method for the satellites orbiting around the earth to-ground and geosynchronous satellite to low earth
to communication with each other. Inter-satellite optical orbiting vehicles [1]. In the future system, the satellite to
wireless communication systems (IsOWC), one of the
ground links would remain in the microwave regime but
important applications of Free space optical communication
satellite-to-satellite communication will be governed by
technology, will be deployed in space in the near future as
such systems provide a high bandwidth, small size, light optical wireless links. The technology uses laser light of
weight, low power and low cost alternative to present infrared wavelengths to transmit optical signals between
microwave satellite systems. In this paper, optical inter- two points via free space [2]. Laser communication is
satellite link (ISL) is modeled using optisystem and then now able to send information at data rates up to several
investigation is carried out to study the effect of varying the Gbps and at distance of thousands of kilometers apart
wavelength between two satellites estranged by a distance of [4]. This has open up the idea to adapt optical wireless
1300 km at data rate 3 Gbps. In this paper the performance communication technology into space technology; hence
of the IsOWC link is evaluated keeping into consideration inter-satellite optical wireless communication is
the pointing errors.
developed. In this work, simulation investigation of
Inter- satellite optical wireless communication systems at
high transmission rate of 3 Gbps over a space distance of
Keywords— Free space optical (FSO) communication, 1300 km at varying wavelengths i.e. 980 nm and 1550
Inter-satellite optical wireless communication (IsOWC), nm. Have been presented. The simulation comparison
Inter-satellite link (ISL). between two wavelengths i.e. 980 nm and 1550 nm using
NRZ modulation format is also carried out. The paper is
I. INTRODUCTION
organized as follows: Section 2 and 3 contains the system
For the research and communication purpose for the description, Section 4 discusses the results of inter-
benefits of the mankind, the manmade satellites have satellite optical wireless communication system and
been developed. A satellite is an object that orbits around finally, Section 5 summarizes and concludes this paper.
another object in space. An inter-satellite link is a
communications link that connects two separate satellites
directly. One satellite could have several links to
numerous other satellites. Inter-satellite links are very
important for communication of two satellites in same
orbit or two different orbits. The present satellite commu-

c
978-1-4799-6629-5/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE 1245
 II. MODEL DESCRIPTION medium is the OWC channel that is used to transmit the
light signal. Optical wireless communications uses light
The IsOWC system consists of transmitter, propagation at near-infrared frequency to communicate.
medium and receiver which is shown in fig. 1 where the
transmitter is in the first satellite and the receiver is in the
second satellite. The free space between the satellites is
the propagation

Fig. 1. Design of Inter satellite optical wireless communications systems [3]

The IsOWC system is not much different from free space the light emitted by LED. Hence, a CW laser diode is
optics and fiber optic communication where the used for IsOWC system. The electrical signal from
difference relies in the propagation medium. In the TT&C system and optical signal from the laser will be
Optisystem software, the OWC channel is modeled modulated by an optical modulator before it is
between an optical transmitter and optical receiver with transmitted out to space. An optical modulator varies the
15 cm optical antenna at each end. The transmitter and intensity or amplitude of the input light signal from CW
receiver antennae are also assumed to be ideal where the laser according to the electrical signal. This is done by
optical efficiency is equal to1. The OWC channel is changing optical parameters such as refractive index,
considered to be outer space which is free from additional reflection factor and transmission factor of the optical
losses and attenuation factors but there will be some modulator that is made from fiber waveguides. Different
transmitter and receiver pointing errors [3]which is taken from free space optics that is subjected to many losses
as 2.7 urad. The aperture diameter of transmitting- and due to weather and atmospheric attenuation, the optical
receiving-antenna is taken as 15 cm. The IsOWC wireless communications channel is considered as
transmitter receives data from the satellite’s Telemetry, vacuum and free from atmospheric losses. At an ideal
Tracking and Communication (TT&C) system. The case, the only cause of signal attenuation is the distance
telemetry system collects data from sensors on board the of the transmission. Optical antenna or optical lenses can
satellite and sends these data via telemetry link to the be used at the transmitter and the receiver. Therefore, the
satellite control center which monitors the health of the free space loss is taken as 0 dB/ km of optical wireless
satellite. Tracking and ranging system located in the earth channel various in our proposed model. The optical
station provides the information related to the range and antenna allows wider light beam divergence and
location of the satellite in its orbit. The command system detection [7]. An optical antenna is actually a lens or a
is used for switching on/off of different subsystems in the telescope that is placed before and after the transmission
satellite based on the telemetry and tracking data. Light medium to increase the signal divergence as shown in
source is the most important component in optical signal Fig. 2.The receiving end of the IsOWC system consists of
since communication is done by transmitting light. Light- an Avalanche photodiode and a low pass filter.
emitting diode and laser diode are two types of optical Amplification in APD photo detector or avalanche
light source commonly used in optical communication. phenomenon occurs when charged electrons are
The output light emitted by the laser diode is introduced in such high electric field area and collide
monochromatic, coherent and has high radiance which with neutral semiconductor atoms, thus generating other
makes it suitable for long distance free space carriers. This process is then repeated to effectively
transmission [5]. The light generated by the laser can amplify the limited number of carriers [6].
travel much further than

1246 2014 International Conference on Contemporary Computing and Informatics (IC3I)

 receiver is the second satellite. Figure 3 shows the
optimized link at 980 nm wavelength and figure 4 shows
the optimized link at 1550nm wavelengths by using NRZ
modulation.
A) OPTIMIZED IsOWC LINK AT 980 nm
WAVELENGTH

The optimized IsOWC link with maximum range up to

1300 km at data rate 3 Gbps at operating wavelength 980
nm is achieved. The transmitted power used is 15 dBm
for the link. The optical efficiency is assumed to be 1.
The laser used is CW laser. Modulation used for this link
Fig. 2. Optical antenna is NRZ modulation. The aperture diameter of transmitter
and receiver is 15 cm.
III. SYSTEM MODEL IN OPTISYSTEM

The IsOWC system divided into three, the transmitter,

OWC channel and the receiver part where the transmitter
is the first satellite and

Fig. 3. Optimized 980 nm IsOWC link

2014 International Conference on Contemporary Computing and Informatics (IC3I) 1247

 B) OPTIMIZED IsOWC LINK AT 1550 nm data rate 3 Gbps. The transmitted power used is 15 dBm
WAVELENGTH for the link. The optical efficiency is assumed to be 1.
The laser used is CW laser. Modulation used for this
Another IsOWC link at wavelength of 1550 nm is link is NRZ modulation. The aperture diameter of
simulated with maximum range up to 1300 km at transmitter and receiver is 15 cm.

Fig. 4. Optimized 1550 nm IsOWC link

Table 1 shows the simulation parameters for 980 nm IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
and 1550 nm wavelength.
An inter-satellite optical wireless system is designed
TABLE 1. SIMULATION PARAMETERS FOR 980NM AND with the help of OPTI-SYSTEM simulator consisting of
1550NM LINK. two satellites with a space difference of 1300 km
exchanging externally modulated optical data at 3 Gbps
Parameters values through free-space medium at operating wavelength of
980 nm and 1550 nm. Table 2 shows numerical results
Laser CWL for the performance analysis of link at varying
wavelength of 980 nm and 1550 nm between two
Wavelength used 980nm, 1550nm satellites at the distance of 1300 km at data rate 3 Gbps.

Transmitting power 15 dBm

TABLE 2. PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THE LINK AT
Link range 1300 km
WAVELENGTH OF 980NM AND 1550NM.

Modulation NRZ S.No Range Wavelength Q BER

(km) (nm) Factor
Photo detector APD 1. 1300 980 7.30323 1.25545
e-013
Pointing errors 2.7 urad 2. 1300 1550 14.4179 1.58648

Aperture diameter of 15 cm e-047

transmitter and receiver

1248 2014 International Conference on Contemporary Computing and Informatics (IC3I)

 A) RESULTS AT 980 nm WAVELENGTH end. Figure 7 shows received optical power spectrum of
the optimized link for range 1300 km at wavelength 980
Figure 5 shows the eye diagram of link where the nm.
distance is 1300 km and the bit rate is 3 Gbps and the
wavelength is 980 nm with transmitting power of 15
dBm. The Q factor for the proposed link at 980 nm is
7.30323 and the BER is 10-13.

Fig 5. Eye diagram of OWC inter-satellite system 1300 km apart with

transmitting power of 15 dBm at operating wavelength of 980 nm
Fig. 7. Received optical power for link range 1300 km at
operating wavelength 980 nm.
Figure 6 shows the transmitted optical power spectrum of
the optimized link for range 1300 km at operating B) RESULTS AT 1550 nm WAVELENGTH
wavelength 980 nm. Optical power transmitted is
31.623*10-3 watts calculated by the power meter and this Figure 8 shows the eye diagram of link where the
transmitted optical power at operating wavelength 1550 distance is 1300 km and the bit rate is 3 Gbps and the
nm is also same. Figure 6 also shows the peak wavelength is 1550 nm with transmitting power of 15
wavelength at 1550 nm. dBm. The Q factor for the link at 1550nm is 14.4179 and
the BER is 10-47.

Fig. 8. Eye diagram of OWC inter-satellite system 1300 km apart with

transmitting power of 15 dBm at operating wavelength of 1550 nm.

However, as we mentioned above the transmitted optical

Fig. 6. Transmitted optical power for link range 1300 km power for range 1300 km at wavelength 1550 nm have
same value as that of 980 nm wavelength. Figure 9 shows
at operating wavelength 980 nm.
the received optical power at wavelength 1550 nm having
The loss of optical power at receiver end can be analyzed range 1300 km.
by using the spectrum analyzer at receiver

2014 International Conference on Contemporary Computing and Informatics (IC3I) 1249

 [7] A. Jamalipour, “Low Earth Orbital Satellites for Personal
Communication Networks”, Artech House Publisher, UK, 1999.

Gaurav Soni received his B-Tech

Degree in Electronics and
Communication from Punjab
Technical University, Jalandhar in
year 2005 and M-Tech degree
in Electronics and
Communication from D.A.V.I.E.T,
Jalandhar. He has more than nine
years of
teaching and research experience. He has to his credit 60
research papers in various international journals and
conferences. He studied high-speed optical transceivers and
electrical-optical circuit board (EOCB) technology for chip-to-
chip optical interconnects. He completed his master thesis in
the latest field of research in Free Space Optical
Communication. He designed a Free Space Optical
Communication Link with speed of 2.5Gbps. His research
interests are Wireless communications, next generation optical
Fig. 9. Received optical power for link range 1300 km at
access networks, high-speed optical transmission systems, and
wavelength 1550 nm. Optical wireless communications. He is currently working as
Associate Professor in Department of Electronics and
Communication Engineering, Amritsar College of Engineering
V. CONCLUSION and Technology, Amritsar E-mail:
[email protected],
In this work, an inter-satellite OWC system is designed to [email protected]
establish an inter-satellite link (ISL) of 1300 km between
two satellites at data rate of 3 Gbps. For the performance
comparison of the proposed link two wavelengths i.e. 980
nm and 1550 nm are used. The BER for the link operated at
980nm wavelength is 10-13 and for wavelength of 1550nm
BER is 10-47. It is concluded from the simulated OWC
system that the ISL link operated at wavelength of 1550 nm
have better performance than the link which uses 980 nm
wavelength.

REFERENCES

[1] Naresh kumar, “Enhanced performance analysis of inter-satellite

optical-wireless communication (IsOWC) system”, sciencedirect journal,
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long reach high speed inter-satellite link (ISL)”, sciencedirect journal, Optik
volume 125, 2014, pp 883-886.
[3] Gaurav Soni and Sanamdeep Singh, “Pointing error evaluation in FSO
link”, Communication and Computing (ARTCom 2013), Fifth International
Conference on Advances in Recent Technologies ,20-21 Sept. 2013, pp-
365– 370,Bangalore, India, published by IET, DOI-10.1049/cp.2013.2215.

[4] Isha Aggarwal, Paras Chawla, Rohan Gupta, “Performance evaluation

of inter-satellite free space optical communication system with varied
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[5] Vishal Sharma and Amandeep Kaur “Challenging issues in inter-
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techniques”, Proc. of Int. Conf. on Advances in communication, network
and computing 2013.
[6] Aida Hasfiza Hashim, Farah Diana Mahad, Sevia M. Idrus, “Modelling
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