A recent Gooch and Housego acquisition, Constelex Technology Enablers, is participating in new European Union R&D projects and European Space Agency Space Photonics contracts. The programs will focus on design and development of photonic components and sub-systems for satellite communications.
Constelex is coordinating project Merlin, which aims to design and fabricate high-speed digital transceivers for intra-satellite links enabling next-generation photonics-enabled broadband satellites. The company are involved in the system design and experimental performance evaluation of Merlin optical links and is responsible for commercialising the Merlin transceivers.
The company also participates in the newly launched project Hippo that focuses on developing high-power photonic components and modules for satellite laser communications. Through an all-industrial team, the project will deliver a new family of photonic products, including lasers, receivers, specialty optical fibres and optical amplifier modules for high-speed satellite-to-satellite communications. Constelex is responsible for designing and developing space-compatible high-power optical fibre amplifier modules.
Constelex is currently developing optical fibre amplifier products in collaboration with the European Space Agency within the ARTES 5.2 and ECI initiatives. The new family of optical amplifiers currently under development finds application in satellite laser communications and more specifically in high-speed and energy efficient satellite to ground and inter-satellite links.
