(Photo courtesy of NASA)
Honeywell is collaborating with Ball Aerospace to develop and produce optical communication data links that enable satellite operators to deliver high-capacity connectivity. Together, the two companies will establish volume production of optical terminals for communications from ground to space, spacecraft to spacecraft and spacecraft to aircraft.
According to Ball Aerospace, the optical communication terminals are manufactured entirely from American-sourced parts, assuring secure solutions for domestic missions. The two companies are targeting customers in the commercial and U.S. government markets.
Free-space optical communication systems complement traditional radio frequency solutions, bringing the internet speeds of terrestrial fiber optics to space. Using laser technology, optical communication systems offer a much narrower and more focused beam than traditional RF links, resulting in higher data rates, more capacity, greater security and smaller, lighter and more affordable terminals.
This was originally published by ViaSatellite.