Europe achieves record-breaking gigabit per second data transfer between a geostationary satellite and an aircraft

The European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with TNO and TESAT, has achieved a groundbreaking gigabit per second laser link between a geostationary satellite and an aircraft, reaching a transmission speed of 2.6 Gbps with zero errors. This test, conducted in Nimes, France, using the Alphasat TDP-1 satellite, demonstrates the potential for high-speed internet on aircraft through laser-based communication. The success of this test marks a significant advancement in satellite communication technology, paving the way for future applications in both commercial and military sectors. This achievement showcases the potential of laser communication to provide high-speed data transfer in challenging conditions, surpassing traditional radio-based satellite communication methods.