Technology Trends in CubeSat-Based Space Laser Communication

CubeSats are being utilized in various fields such as Earth observation, space exploration, and verification of space science and technology due to their low cost, short development period, enhanced mission-oriented performance, and ability to perform various missions through constellation and formation flights. Recently, as the availability of CubeSats has increased and their application areas have expanded, the demand for high-speed transmission of large amounts of data obtained by CubeSats has increased unprecedentedly. Laser-based free space optical communication technology is capable of transmitting large amounts of data at high speeds compared to the existing radio communication methods, and provides various advantages such as use of unlicensed spectrum, low cost, low power, high security characteristics, and of use a small communication platform. For this reason, it is suitable as a high-performance communication technology to support CubeSat missions. In this paper, we will present the core components and characteristics of CubeSat-based space laser communication system, and recent research trends, as well as representative technology development results.