The OICETS (Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test) satellite, scheduled to be launched this coming summer, is being modified to match a change of inclination (from 35 to 98 degrees), due to a change of its launch vehicle.
Final satellite verification began in February, with all operations at the manufacturer's plant complete.
The satellite is now in its flight configuration stage. Since the start of April, OICETS has been tested using facilities at the Tsukuba Space Center and the DRTS (the data relay satellite "Kodama") to assess its overall performance. On April 8, an acoustic test was carried out.
OICETS enables communications between satellites via optical links.
OICETS will enable optical inter-orbit communications tests between satellites that are tens of thousands of kilometers apart.
An optical inter-orbit communications system will bring various advantages: more stable communications with less interference; lighter, more compact communications equipment; and higher data transmission rates.
These tests are expected to lead to new technologies that will improve global data reception from Earth Observation satellites and continuous communication links with manned space stations.
OICETS is to be launched into a low Earth orbit in the fiscal year 2005, for the purpose of conducting demonstrations with ARTEMIS, the latest geostationary satellite belonging to the European Space Agency.
Communications Engineering Tests
