ESA Portal - Successful optical data relay link between OICETS and Artemis

Media Centre

Press Releases ESA Television Launch Media Corner Exhibitions

Services

Calendar Publications Frequently asked questions ESA-sponsored Conferences Help Site Credits Portal terms of use Comments Subscribe

Successful optical data relay link between OICETS and Artemis

9 December 2005

Back to article

OICETS is an engineering test satellite used to conduct optical communications experiments using laser beams between on-orbit satellites that are several thousands kilometers away from each other.

Credits: JAXA

Back to article

Artemis and SPOT 4 communicating via the SILEX system

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 493 Kb)

Carrying three payloads plus a number of experiments, Artemis (Advanced Relay and Technology Mission Satellite) has been designed to test and operate new telecommunications techniques.
The L-band mobile payload allows two-way voice and data communications, via satellite, between fixed Earth stations and land mobiles - trucks, trains or cars - anywhere in Europe and North Africa.
Artemis carries two payloads for communications directly between satellites, which receive data from low-Earth-orbiting satellites and transmit them directly to Europe:
-a laser-optical relay terminal called SILEX
-a double S/Ka-band terminal called SKDR.
ARTEMIS was launched 12 July 2001 by Ariane 5. It was initially placed in the wrong orbit and recovery operations have been underway since then to bring it to its final position.

Credits: ESA-J.Huart

Background note:

Back to article

Artemis, which stands for Advanced Relay TEchnology MISsion, was launched in July on an Ariane 5 from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana

Credits: Alenia Spazio

Back to article

Envisat communicates Artemis and the ESRIN data-procesing centre via Ka-band

Credits: ESA 2003