Title: Fully Optical Spacecraft Communications: Implementing an Omnidirectional PV-Cell Receiver and 8Mb/s LED Visible Light Downlink with Deep Learning Error Correction,
Abstract: Free space optical communication techniques have been the subject of numerous
investigations in recent years, with multiple missions expected to fly in the
near future. Existing methods require high pointing accuracies, drastically
driving up overall system cost. Recent developments in LED-based visible light
communication (VLC) and past in-orbit experiments have convinced us that the
technology has reached a critical level of maturity. On these premises, we
propose a new optical communication system utilizing a VLC downlink and a high
throughput, omnidirectional photovoltaic cell receiver system. By performing
error-correction via deep learning methods and by utilizing phase-delay
interference, the system is able to deliver data rates that match those of
traditional laser-based solutions. A prototype of the proposed system has been
constructed, demonstrating the scheme to be a feasible alternative to
laser-based methods. This creates an opportunity for the full scale development
of optical communication techniques on small spacecraft as a backup telemetry
beacon or as a high throughput link.