Reuniwatt, a global leader in cloud cover observation and forecasting, asserts its strategic role in the deployment of space optical telecommunications (Free-Space Optical Communications, FSOC) through the MARLIN and SOLiS projects funded by France 2030. By combining its cutting-edge imagers, expertise in atmospheric sciences, and big data analysis powered by artificial intelligence, the company provides an innovative and concrete solution to the main obstacle to the resilience of laser communications between Earth and space (known as Direct-to-Earth, DTE): weather conditions.
Reuniwatt ensures a bright future for optical satellite communications by studying the atmosphere
FSOC technology consists of encoding and transmitting data using an infrared laser that is invisible to the human eye. It enables data transfer at a much higher rate than traditional radio frequency communications while providing greater security and lower energy consumption. As the true space counterpart of terrestrial fiber optics, the time between data transmission and reception, or latency, is also lower in FSOC than in radio systems. In the face of satellite radio communication saturation and the growing need for secure data exchanges—that is, cybersecurity—the mastery of space optical telecommunications has become a strategic autonomy imperative for Europe and its member states. As a result, the trend is rising: the number of laser terminals whose signals will pass through the atmosphere is expected to increase seventyfold within ten years. While this issue does not arise in the vacuum of space, laser links between satellites and ground stations must nonetheless pass through the atmospheric layers, where clouds and aerosols—such as fine particles and water vapor—can degrade or even completely block the laser’s infrared waves.
The atmosphere, a series of layers that disrupt data transmissions between Earth and outer space
In response to this challenge, Reuniwatt is innovating to ensure maximum availability of optical communications between satellites and the ground through MARLIN (Atmospheric Metrology, Radiation, Lidar and Cloud Imager), a project funded by the Occitanie Region and the French government under the France 2030 Plan, and certified by the Aerospace Valley and ALPHA-RLH competitiveness clusters. This project will validate services for the characterization and forecasting of clouds, aerosols and other atmospheric turbulence, with the aim of guaranteeing the integrity and quality of optical laser communications. As a sovereign solution serving a dual-use sector, MARLIN will generate data derived from a unique combination of French and European meteorological instruments.
With 15 years of experience and the above-mentioned projects, Reuniwatt offers a comprehensive approach spanning from planning to operations for space missions using optical communications:
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Infrastructure planning: Reuniwatt analyses historical atmospheric parameters such as cloud cover, aerosols and turbulence in a given area in order to optimize the locations of optical ground stations (Optical Ground Stations).
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Continuous performance monitoring: the patented Sky InSight™™ infrared imager monitors the sky day and night to characterize the link budget, i.e. to estimate signal quality and real-time data exchange performance.
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Ground network orchestration: the use of forecasting models enables operators to anticipate handovers between the different stations in a network in order to guarantee signal availability.
High-level collaborations serving a strategic priority for the space sector
On average, 67% of the Earth’s surface is covered by clouds, making the knowledge and anticipation of clear-sky conditions essential for the proper functioning of most future space systems, from telecommunications (connectivity, television, telephony, etc.) to Earth observation, as well as ground-based astronomical research and space surveillance (space situational awareness, SSA). Reuniwatt is already working with key players in the space sector, such as Airbus Defence and Space and SpaceX, to industrialise FSOC technology. The company is also involved in research projects such as ANAtOLIA, a network of instruments of the European Space Agency (ESA) that aims to characterise the optical communications channel. Through the MARLIN project, Reuniwatt is thus positioning itself as a key player in mastering atmospheric effects for future ground space infrastructures, and in particular for European space optical communications.
