Data traffic within satellites, launchers and space stations is constantly growing as, for example, sensors and camera resolutions increase from generation to generation. Thus, new, faster, and more efficient (in terms of energy per transmitted bit) intra-satellite data transmission is required.
We are proud to announce that Tetra Semiconductors has been selected by ESA to develop a next-generation optical communication interface for intra satellite communications.
In recent years Tetra Semiconductors has developed chipsets compliant with the emerging 400Gbit/s Ethernet standards for the next generation of large data centers and ethernet switches. Tetra Semiconductors’ unique analog circuit architecture is capable of receiving, recovering and decoding multilevel signals and not only provides a competitive advantage with regards to power consumption, robustness and chip size, but is also very well suited for the radiation-hardened versions necessary for space applications. For these reasons, Tetra Semiconductors was asked to adapt its current 400Gbit/s Ethernet product TS2 for use in the space industry. On top of Tetra’s new CDR approach, the company has longstanding experience in designing optical frontends for obtaining the best possible link budget. These link margins are hard requirements in satellite communications as they extend the temperature range and operational lifetime of the products in space, where radiation accelerates ageing.
The target is to develop two derivatives of Tetra’s existing TS2 chipset, both for 53 Gbit/s per channel VCSEL-based interconnects. One derivative will contain radiation-hardened versions of the linear optical front-ends (without a CDR) optimized for the lowest possible power consumption targeted for use in short intra-satellite links. The other derivative of the TS2 will include both radiation-hardened optical front-ends and CDRs for longer link applications such as those seen in launchers or larger satellites.
With the development of these two chipsets, Tetra and ESA have partnered to increase the optical bandwidth in satellite systems while reducing power consumption, both increasingly crucial to the space industry.
Tetra Semiconductos acknowledges the support of and excellent collaboration with ESA and the Swiss Space office.
