The race for advanced satellite communication technology has taken an interesting turn as China claimed a major breakthrough in satellite-to-ground laser communication, potentially putting it ahead of Elon Musk’s Starlink.

According to claims by the South China Morning Post, this new achievement could serve as a foundation for future technologies such as 6G, next-generation satellite positioning systems, and ultra-high resolution remote sensing. 

Chang Guang Satellite Technology, the company behind China’s Jilin-1 satellite constellation, successfully achieved a data transmission rate of 100 gigabits per second, ten times faster than its previous record. This speed is up to 1,000 times faster than the average 5G download speed in the UK, which is currently 100 Megabits per second (Mb/s) or over. 

The Jilin-1 constellation, which is touted as the world’s largest sub-meter commercial remote sensing satellite network, played a key role in this breakthrough. 

The transmission was carried out between a mobile truck-based ground station and one of the 117 satellites orbiting the Earth, demonstrating the effectiveness and versatility of the laser communication system. 

Wang Hanghang, head of laser communication ground station technology at Chang Guang Satellite, stated, “Musk’s Starlink has revealed its laser inter-satellite communication system but hasn’t deployed laser satellite-to-ground communication yet. We think they might have the technology, but we’ve already started large-scale deployment.” 

“We plan to deploy these laser communication units across all satellites in the Jilin-1 constellation to improve their efficiency, with a goal of networking 300 satellites by 2027,” Hanghang added. 

The company has developed a compact laser communication terminal, roughly the size of a backpack, capable of transmitting data both between satellites and back to Earth. This terminal was integrated into the payload of a satellite launched in June 2023. 

A unique feature of the system is that the ground stations, mounted on vehicles, can be relocated to avoid bad weather and turbulence and allow reliable data transmission even in adverse conditions. 

The report stated that multiple receiving stations will also be established across China to increase the efficiency of remote sensing image data acquisition. 

Space-to-Ground Laser Communication

China’s progress in space laser technology is a major development in the global space race and could have a big impact on the future of technology and communication. 

The development of laser satellite communication, an optical technology using satellites, promises to dramatically improve the speed of data transmission. 

Unlike conventional radio frequencies, which are currently used for global communication, laser signals, or invisible light signals, can transmit information at much higher speeds. 

In recent years, there have been notable achievements in the field of laser communication. In 2022, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) made a breakthrough by achieving a 100Gbps laser transmission. 

This was followed by NASA’s TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) system, also developed by MIT, which set a new record of 200Gbps in 2023. 

The TBIRD payload, which is remarkably small—about the size of a tissue box—can transmit massive amounts of data due to its reliance on laser communications. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California serves as the receiving station for this technology.

According to the US space agency NASA, laser communication works by encoding information into the oscillations of light waves rather than using radio waves, as is typical for space communications. This method allows for faster and more efficient transmission. 

NASA, which primarily uses radio technology for its space missions, has found laser communication to be a promising solution for future endeavors. 

As NASA aims for long-term missions on the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars, more efficient communication systems will be crucial for successful operations and scientific data collection.

Meanwhile, China has been making good progress in developing its own high-speed laser communication technologies for both space-to-ground and inter-satellite data transmission. 

In October 2023, the Chinese team achieved a 10Gbps transmission rate, a precursor to their recent success. The current breakthrough of 100Gbps is being hailed as a major accomplishment, as it is said to be equivalent to transmitting ten full-length movies in just one second. 

This success will improve Beijing’s satellite communication infrastructure, particularly in areas such as navigation, 6G internet, and remote sensing.

However, this success didn’t come easily. The team behind this breakthrough overcame numerous technical challenges, including atmospheric turbulence, high-speed relative motion errors, and the need for precise beam tracking. 

Despite these hurdles, China’s latest achievement solidifies its position in the competitive global space technology race, paving the way for future advancements in space communications and satellite infrastructure.

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