Optical technologies are leading a revolution in satellite communications, as intersatellite laser links become standard features on many low Earth orbit satellites and are being demonstrated for deep-space operations.

Satellite navigation is poised to follow the same trajectory as optical technologies mature, offering the potential to redefine today’s system architectures which rely heavily on frequent ground contact, complex ground processing and highly stable complex onboard atomic clocks to provide services to end users.

Optical solutions have reached a level of readiness that makes them credible candidates for future use in operational satellite navigation systems, promising centimetre-level accuracy and picosecond-level time synchronisation, while also strengthening resilience against interference. Moreover, optical links benefit from less stringent regulatory constraints than those affecting signals in the radiofrequency spectrum.