Presentation Information
[BI-6-05]Prospects for optical wireless communication in Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN)
〇Noritomo Yanagimoto1, Junichi Nakajima1, Eiji Nakazawa, Toshio Imamura, Koji Ohzeki (1. Softbank K.K.)
Keywords:
HAPS,NTN,FSO,LCT
In recent years, communication services utilizing Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations have advanced significantly. However, high-speed one-to-many communications require wide frequency bandwidths, raising concerns about radio-frequency spectrum congestion. To address this issue, optical wireless communication has attracted considerable attention. It is primarily applied to inter-satellite links, enabling high-capacity communication networks in space. In contrast, radio-frequency communication remains the dominant technology for ground feeder links, while ground-to-space optical communication remains limited due to atmospheric attenuation, turbulence, and Doppler effects. Consequently, high-capacity feeder links still rely on radio-frequency communication. High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS), operating in the stratosphere, are closer to Earth than LEO satellites and are less affected by atmospheric turbulence. Therefore, HAPS-based stratospheric optical gateways offer a promising solution to these challenges.