The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University

Published purpose

Multi-terabit ‘Smart’ Optical Transceivers will be developed for intra-satellite switching systems for the deployment of future Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space satellite networks. The expected deployment of many thousands of LEO satellites for largescale global space connectivity by OneWeb, SpaceX and others, requires reliable and incredibly high-speed connections within the satellite itself. These types of satellites are effectively massive data routers – like terrestrial networks – required to switch many terabits/sec of data from free-space optical laser links from other satellites and the ground. However, they will also have to do this while moving at speeds greater than 18,000 km/hr while being bombarded with high energy particles. This project will require robust laser and advanced Silicon Photonics designs for high channel count, high-speed optical fiber transceivers between computing chips inside the satellite done using advanced optical transceiver devices. In addition, more complex data-path processing using ‘smart’ optical devices based on the idea of optical digital logic will be developed.