Pentagon begins to use laser to transfer data from space to drones

At the end of June 2021, the US Space Development Agency announced the launch of satellites into low Earth orbit, which will have to communicate with the MQ-9 Reaper drone through optical channels or lasers. If the pilot project is successful, it will open the way for new, less susceptible to hacking communications between drones, jets and other weapons, as well as between commanders and operators.

We're launching several satellites. Two of them are General Atomics satellites [manufacturer MQ-9] that allow transmitting laser signals in space, "said Derek Tournament, head of the US space development agency. - These satellites will be able to send a laser information signal directly to the MQ-9 platform.

Pentagon begins to use laser to transfer data from space to drones

Satellite radio communication with drones, ships and other objects appeared several decades ago and served the military during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the US Army did not encounter complex systems capable of suppressing radio signals. But now the military is preparing to meet with high-tech opponents.

According to the Tournament, optical communication has an important advantage over radio communication: the light signal is much more difficult to plug, and it itself can transmit much more information at much lower energy costs. Thus, laser communication can provide "very high throughput, low delay and low probability of interference, and will also allow transmitting a signal to any platform, be it a ground object, ship or aircraft," the Tournament noted.

During the planned launch into space on June 25, 2021, five vehicles will go. They include the General Atomics cubsat, which will solve the task of developing laser communication with the MQ-9 Reaper UAV, and two Mandrake-2 cubsats, which will solve the task of developing inter-satellite laser communication.^[1]

Notes