Application of photonics in next generation telecommunication satellites payloads

Next generation broadband telecommunication satellites are required to provide very high data throughput using complex multibeam architectures. These high throughput 'Terabit/s' Satellites will incorporate payloads with very large quantity of conventional RF equipment, co-axial cables, waveguides, harnesses and ancillary equipment, making the Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) very complex. Use of 'RF over Fiber' and associated photonics equipment can make the process of AIT much simpler with the added benefit of significant reduction in number of payload equipment and inherent payload mass