The European Space Agency (ESA) is taking a step towards revolutionizing the field of positioning, navigation, and timing by exploring optical technology. ESA has signed a contract with a consortium of European companies to conduct a study and predevelopment of optical time synchronization and ranging technology. This initiative, known as OpSTAR, aims to validate intersatellite optical links for potential use in satellite navigation systems.
Optical technology, which uses laser beams for data transmission, offers the promise of unprecedented accuracy and robustness in navigation systems. By testing and validating this technology in orbit, ESA hopes to pave the way for incorporating it into future operational systems. The results of the study will provide valuable insights for decision-makers and help shape the future of navigation in Europe.
ESA’s Director of Navigation, Javier Benedicto, and Head of Future Programmes, José Ángel Ávila Rodríguez, expressed their excitement about the OpSTAR project and its potential to set international standards for optical timing and ranging in positioning, navigation, and timing. By involving industry players early on, ESA aims to empower European industry leadership in global PNT and benefit from the implementation of optical technology in future systems.
With the demand for navigation services on the rise, the adoption of optical technology could offer increased resilience, accuracy, and autonomy in global navigation satellite systems. Optical links have the potential to improve navigation system performance significantly, reaching millimeter-level spatial accuracy and picosecond-level timing. ESA Navigation is at the forefront of developing and testing cutting-edge technologies to shape the future of satellite navigation.
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