The US space forces are seeking information on laser communication systems to interconnect satellites in medium and high orbits. Optical communication terminals that use lasers to transmit data into space have been purchased by the Space Force’s Space Development Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for low-Earth orbit constellations. A new request for information (RFI) released Jan. 4 describes possible plans for expanding the military’s information highway in space to much higher orbits.

“US Space Systems Command is developing an enterprise laser communications solution for spacecraft cross communication in low Earth orbit (bLEO) modes for a wide variety of future space platforms,” ​​said RFI. These optical channels will connect satellites in orbits between 10,000 and 35,000 kilometers above Earth.

Space Force is exploring “resilient network foundation of the future” options to support military users of medium and geostationary Earth orbit satellites.

RFI states that “commercial LEO users, the Space Agency, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Air Force Research Laboratory, among others, have already made significant investments in laser communication crosslinks.” Space Systems Command does not want to “start another technology development program for laser crosslinks, but to take advantage of previously completed or unfinished work.”

Optical terminals have become key components of the Department of Defense’s commercial and low-orbit arrays, which rely on crosslinks between satellites to securely transport data collected in space and transmit it to data centers on the ground.

One possible application for MEO laser terminals is missile detection satellites, which are currently being developed by the Space Force and Missile Defense Agency as an additional layer to the US missile defense architecture.