CubeCAT laser terminal
A 10 cm cube laser communication terminal that lets small satellites send data to the ground at up to 1 Gbps.
Why it matters
Radio downlinks are a bottleneck for small imaging satellites. A shoebox-sized laser terminal lets them send far more data per pass and is harder to intercept.
How the technology works
CubeCAT weighs 1.2 kg and fits a 10 x 10 x 10 cm slot. It points a laser at an optical ground station and modulates the beam to carry data.
AAC's Dutch subsidiary AAC Hyperion builds it, and the first two commercial units went to EMTECH SPACE for Greece's Hellenic Space Dawn mission.
Sources
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