U.S. Space Force Faces Data Bottleneck, Urged to Adopt Laser Communications for Faster Data Transfer
The U.S. Space Force is preparing to launch hundreds of satellites with numerous sensors into orbit, which will generate vast amounts of data for commanders. However, a new report by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, authored by retired Air Force Col. Jennifer Reeves, indicates that the current long-standing method of communicating data via radio frequencies (RF) could create significant data bottlenecks. The report, to be released on October 1, advocates for a hybrid system combining RF with optical communications technology, or laser comms, to address this issue. Reeves highlights that the military's space-based sensors and communication systems are producing up to 200 times more data than two decades ago, and the ability to collect this data has not been matched by the capacity to deliver it quickly to users. The Space Development Agency (SDA) is already planning to deploy hundreds of data transport satellites with optical communications terminals in low-Earth orbit as part of its Proliferat...
