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ESA Deep Space Communication 2025

As optical communication in space is rapidly progressing and more and more in flight validation of the technology in LEO and GEO (SILEX, LCT) and even from the Moon (LADEE) is accumulated the current study s focusing on the deep space communication architecture for an optical downlink from a deep space probe directly to Earth. The emphasis hereby is particularly on the ground segment.

Analyses of deep space employment of optical communication terminals have been done before and the present bidding team has participated in many of them. It is understood that this analysis shall not repeat the more generic aspect of these prior studies. Rather it will be based on these prior results and develop an optical communication architecture for a data downlink from 4 different mission scenarios directly to Earth (relay satellites are explicitly excluded in the statement of work).

Phase 1 will focus on two aspects:

• Requirements consolidation for the 4 mentioned mission scenarios (Moon, L2, Mars and Jupiter) and apportionment of the link terminals. Generally the space segment is only
  developed as far as required to determine the ground terminal design drivers. Clearly the complexity will be kept on ground to simplify the space terminal.
• Development of an optical link model based on ESA’s existing initial version of the model. It is understood that such a model is required for future mission planning.

Phase 2 will develop the communication architecture and the terminal requirements:

• Development of an optimised communication architecture for each scenario. Emphasis will be given to the concept of operation (CONOPS): Besides definition of a
  transmission protocol (incl. handover between stations) this also includes careful evaluation of possible ground station sites for a global deep space communication capability (like
  ESTRACK).
• From the communication architecture the terminal specifications will be derived. Again the emphasis is on the ground part while the space segment is only specified to a level required to define the ground terminal.

Phase 3 focuses on conceptual design of optical communication terminals, again with the focus on the ground segment.

Finally Phase 4 will establish a development roadmap with cost estimates (including operating cost).