The institute’s device, called “Spaceborne Optical Switching Technology,” was sent into orbit by China’s Y7 carrier rocket in August, according to a statement released by the academy last Sunday. This is the first time this has happened. By satellite.
When downloaded and deployed on the ground, the image information carried remained intact with no data loss.
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Switches are important components of communication networks and are responsible for delivering data to specific circuits. For example, when making a phone call, the switch ensures that the call is routed to the intended recipient.
Traditional switching devices typically convert optical signals into digital or simulated data using electricity as the medium. However, new devices bypass that process directly.
An optical scientist said the traditional photon-electron-photon method suffers from an “electronic bottleneck”, but optical approaches have the potential to maximize the speed and capacity of data exchange.
Such an approach could also reduce the cost of building special exchange facilities, the insider, who is familiar with the experiment and asked not to be named, added.
Team members declined to comment.
According to a Chinese paper published last year by some members of the team, the device can support switching capacity of 40 gigabits per second, a significant improvement over traditional switching technology.
With the development of satellite remote sensing, supercomputing that handles large amounts of data, and 6th generation mobile communications, the demand for ultra-high-speed, large-capacity information transmission is increasing.
To achieve this, industry experts say innovative future networks should be three-dimensional networks linking terrestrial communication nodes and satellites.
Meanwhile, a paper published by members of the scientific team stated that “satellite internet needs to be built” to provide global coverage and low-latency services that can be accessed in less populated areas and without geographic barriers. He added that it was necessary to do so.
Traditionally, satellite-to-ground links have relied primarily on microwave technology, but the limited range of microwave frequencies limits data transfer rates.
However, the use of lasers as data carriers, known as “optical communications”, has developed rapidly in recent years. Lasers have a much wider spectrum, with bandwidths that can reach hundreds of gigahertz, allowing them to pack more data into each transmission.
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Scientists say that as data transfer rates reach such high levels, capacity bottlenecks will make it difficult for traditional switching equipment to handle more than 100 gigabytes of data per second.
Therefore, the development of more sophisticated light exchange systems is essential to adapt to growth rates.
“This is especially true for interstellar links, as optical switching becomes more efficient, faster, more compact and cheaper,” the scientist said.
Despite the latest advances by the Chinese team, researchers in the field said there is a long way to go before such technology is truly commercialized.
Fang Tao, general manager of a Guangzhou-based telecommunications company, said China’s satellite internet, including spaceborne optical switching technology, remains in the United States because some key components and materials are monopolized by American companies. He said he was lagging behind.
“Since it will be used in space, many components of this new device will need to be tested very carefully to confirm its performance,” the optical scientist said.
