China surpasses Stark link with 10x faster laser data transmission from space to Earth
Kyiv • UNN
Chang Guang Satellite Technology has achieved 100 Gbps data transmission speeds via laser communication from the satellite to the Earth. This is 10 times faster than the previous record and outpaces the capabilities of Starlink.
The race to create laser communications is gaining momentum. Beijing has successfully achieved a data transfer rate of 100 gigabits per second. This was reported by UNN with reference to interestingengineering.com.
Details
The publication notes that the country has successfully achieved 100 Gbps data transmission speeds using laser communications from satellite to the ground. This unprecedented speed is 10 times faster than the previous record, the report says.
Chang Guang Satellite Technology has launched the Jilin-1 satellite constellation. According to the company, this is the world's largest commercial remote sensing satellite network with sub-meter resolution. The data was transmitted between a mobile ground station based on a truck and one of 117 satellites in orbit. This achievement gives Chang Guang Satellite an advantage over Starlink.
The company plans to deploy laser communication units on all satellites of the Jilin-1 constellation to increase their efficiency, with the goal of connecting 300 satellites into a network by 2027.
As technology advances, satellites are getting smarter and better at collecting detailed information. However, sending all this data back to Earth using traditional methods is becoming a bottleneck. Satellite communication, especially using lasers, is a more efficient and affordable solution. For this reason, Chang Guang has developed a compact laser communication terminal - about the size of a backpack - capable of transmitting data both between satellites and from space back to Earth. This advanced terminal was included in the payload of the satellite (designated Jilin-1 02A02) launched in June 2023.
Because the ground station is mounted on a vehicle, it can be moved to avoid bad weather and turbulence, making data transmission more reliable. Several receiving stations will be installed throughout China to improve the efficiency of receiving remote sensing image data. However, the achievement was not easy. The team overcame various technical hurdles to achieve this achievement, including atmospheric disturbances, rapid satellite movement, and maintaining precise laser beam alignment.
Over the past few years, the company has made rapid progress in the development of high-speed laser communication technologies, both for space-to-ground data transmission and for data transmission between satellites. For example, the system previously achieved a 10 Gbps data rate from space to Earth in October 2023. The most recent achievement of 100 Gbps is said to be equivalent to transmitting ten full-length movies in "one second.
Recall
"Kyivstar has signed an agreement with Starlink to provide satellite mobile services in Ukraine. The SMS service is scheduled to launch in Q4 2025, followed by voice and data services.
