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Showcasing Ireland’s capabilities in hyper-secure optical communications

Irish companies are developing real-time communications between satellites and ground stations

New technology is being developed to enable data transfer speeds of up to one terabit per second. Photograph: iStock
New technology is being developed to enable data transfer speeds of up to one terabit per second. Photograph: iStock

Ireland played host to the highly prestigious international Scylight Conference in early June. Organised by the European Space Agency (ESA), the conference brought together subject matter experts from across Europe and Canada and around the world to showcase the latest developments in optical and quantum communication technologies under the agency’s Optical & Quantum Communications – ScyLight strategic programme. The three-day event held in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin featured short talks by companies, research groups and experts from the ESA.

Conor Sheehan of Enterprise Ireland is the deputy head of the Irish Delegation to the ESA. He explains the importance of optical and quantum communications technologies in today’s world. “Given recent geopolitical developments, it is becoming clear that existing fibre-based technologies may not be secure enough for businesses, governments and others,” he says. “These laser-based technologies are hyper-secure. The beam of light is so narrow it is almost impossible to hack.”

This is the ninth manifestation of the conference and the first time it has been held in Ireland, Sheehan points out. “The attendance has got better and better every year,” he adds. “We had more than 200 delegates in Dublin with 76 papers presented. The fact that the conference was held in Ireland this year is testimony to the leading edge optical technologies being developed by companies in this country with the support of the ESA. The industry in Ireland is becoming more and more recognised globally for its achievements in this sphere.”

The conference was attended by experts from across global industry and research groups. “They presented the state of the art technologies that they are developing and looked ahead at the directions they see markets developing. The main focus was to build collaboration between researchers and companies globally. We had people attending from the US, Canada, Europe, the UAE, Japan and Australia. The majority of ESA member states are from Europe and Canada is an associate member, but the collaborative networks built by Irish companies and researchers meant that we were able broaden its international reach.”

From Enterprise Ireland’s perspective and that of its client companies, it’s all about commercial impact. “A number of Enterprise Ireland and IDA client companies presented their technologies at the conference,” he says. “These included Mbryonics, which is now acknowledged as a world leader in optical communications technology and manufacturing. Altera recently spun out from Intel and is involved in the development and manufacture of the high performing modems required for optical communications systems to perform properly.”

Other Irish companies which presented at the conference included laser manufacturing and quantum optics leader Eblana and Realtra whose technology was used on the Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 rocket launch systems, with its specialised video telemetry system capturing the iconic photos of the James Webb Space Telescope as it separated from the launch vehicle.

The technologies being developed by Irish companies are being used for a variety of applications in space and on earth. Among these is to facilitate near real-time communications between satellites and ground stations and with other satellites.

Sheehan explains that satellites in low earth orbit and geostationary orbit need fairly cloudless conditions over the ground station if they are to transmit uncorrupted data. That means they need to transmit it very quickly to ensure that changing cloud conditions don’t affect the data.

“They have already achieved speeds of 100 gigabits per second and new technology is being developed that will bring that up to one terabit per second,” he says. “That’s a frightening rate of data transfer. Those speeds can’t be matched over fibre for any duration.”

Where ground stations aren’t available directly below the satellite due to atmospheric conditions, superfast and hyper-secure laser communications allow the satellites to bounce the data to other satellites which do have ground stations available to them. The data transfer speeds mean that that this all happens in milliseconds.

This has very practical applications in emergency response, Sheehan points out. “If a satellite happens to be passing overhead an area affected by floods or other natural disaster and doesn’t have a ground station available to it, it can bounce the data to another satellite which can download it to a ground station to assist the emergency response services.”

Security and resilience are also important. “Satellites are being designed to be repurposed,” he explains. “Uplinks can be used to reprogramme the satellites to allow them to perform different functions. Those uplinks have to be secure to prevent attackers sending unwelcome and unwanted messages. Similarly, the information coming down like navigation signals has to be accurate and uncorrupted and safe from spoofing.”

The conference was a success. “Initially it was to be a two-day event followed by a workshop, but because of the number of papers selected and validated by ESA it was extended to a third day,” says Sheehan. “The energy at the conference was amazing. Having more than 200 experts from around the world meeting up and exchanging ideas was tremendous. Important connections were made between Irish companies and research groups and potential partners for the co-development of new technologies and go-to-market strategies. Irish companies were also able to have conversations with ESA about its roadmap for the next three years and the opportunities it will present for them.

“It was also great to see how companies in Ireland are collaborating and helping each other to succeed and grow internationally. As well as that, multinational companies here in Ireland are working with Irish companies to drive capability and the national agenda and to approach new markets together.”