The event, organised by FYLA and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, brought together specialists in optical and quantum communications and highlighted the capabilities of the FSOC laboratory within the CELESTE project
The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) hosted the second edition of the Next-Generation Wireless Laser Communications Workshop in Tenerife, an event organised jointly with FYLA that brought together specialists in optical communications, photonics, quantum technologies and next-generation laser links.
The main workshop sessions were held at the IACTEC facilities in the Parque Tecnológico y Científico de Las Mantecas, in La Laguna, and were complemented by a technical visit to the Observatorio del Teide, where participants had the opportunity to see first-hand infrastructures linked to the testing and validation of these technologies.
The workshop promoted exchange between researchers, companies and sector specialists around one of the most promising areas in future communications: the use of optical and laser links to transmit large volumes of data quickly, securely and efficiently between terrestrial, airborne and space-based platforms.
“Optical communications are rapidly moving from the experimental stage towards becoming a strategic technology for future terrestrial and space networks. Bringing together researchers and companies working on these developments in Tenerife allows us to share challenges, compare solutions and accelerate their transition into real-world applications,” says Pere Perez-Millan, Founder & CEO of FYLA and organiser of the event.
Laser communications for a new generation of links
Unlike traditional radio-frequency systems, optical communications use beams of light to transmit information. This technology enables very high bandwidths and opens up new possibilities for meeting the growing demand for data in space missions, terrestrial networks and future quantum infrastructures.
Working in this field is the IAC’s Free-Space Optical Communications Laboratory (FSOC), integrated into the CELESTE project, which develops advanced laser-based systems for communications between Earth and space. Its activities combine free-space optical communications, quantum key distribution, adaptive optics, integrated photonics and advanced detection technologies.
The aim is to advance towards increasingly fast, secure and resilient communication systems capable of operating both in terrestrial scenarios and on airborne and space-based platforms.
The Canary Islands as a real-world testbed
One of the main capabilities of the FSOC laboratory is IAClink, an optical communications testbed that connects the Optical Ground Station at the Observatorio del Teide in Tenerife with the Jacob Kapteyn Telescope at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos in La Palma, over a distance of 144 kilometres.
This inter-island link makes it possible to test technologies under real atmospheric conditions and assess their performance before transferring them to operational systems. Among other applications, it enables the validation of optical and quantum communication terminals, the testing of quantum key distribution systems, the optimisation of control and pointing algorithms, and the evaluation of adaptive optics performance over long-distance links.
“Having a real long-distance link between two observatories allows us to test technologies outside the laboratory and expose them to the same atmospheric conditions they will encounter in operational applications. This ability to validate and mature systems in a real environment is one of the major strengths we can offer from the Canary Islands,” explains Luis Fernando Rodríguez, Principal Investigator of the IAC’s Free-Space Optical Communications Laboratory (FSOC).
From the laboratory to space missions
The work of FSOC is not limited to terrestrial links. The laboratory also develops technologies for Earth-to-space and space-to-Earth communications, a line of work that has already been tested in the IAC’s own missions.
An optical communications module based on CCSDS standards was integrated as a payload on board the ALISIO-1 satellite, enabling high-speed optical downlinks and the study from orbit of the effects of atmospheric turbulence and its correction through adaptive optics.
The group also participates in European consortia related to quantum key distribution (QKD) systems for terrestrial and space scenarios, including links with satellites in low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit. Its contributions range from the design of adaptive optics systems for ground stations to link-budget analysis and support for the design of telescopes and terminals.
A space to connect research and industry
The workshop at IACTEC brought together academic and technological stakeholders in a shared environment to exchange results, analyse common challenges and explore potential collaborations.
The programme included several technical sessions on 15 October and networking activities aimed at encouraging direct contact between participants. The following day, the event concluded with a visit to the Two-Meter Twin Telescope (TTT) at the Observatorio del Teide.
This type of meeting is aligned with the FSOC laboratory’s open approach to working with industrial partners, research institutions, space agencies and system integrators. The laboratory offers capabilities for component and subsystem testing, payload integration and validation, and the joint development of commercial and pre-commercial solutions.
A strategic line within CELESTE
The Free-Space Optical Communications Laboratory (FSOC) forms part of CELESTE (Cutting Edge Leap to Excellence in Space and Optics Technologies), an initiative led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias to strengthen the Canary Islands’ capabilities in advanced optical technologies and space.
Within this framework, FSOC focuses on activities related to optical and quantum communications, laser links, adaptive optics and the validation of technologies under real operating conditions.
The celebration in Tenerife of the Next-Generation Wireless Laser Communications Workshop strengthened this line of work and helped consolidate the Canary Islands as a reference environment for the development and testing of new optical communication technologies with scientific, industrial and space applications.