Estimation of Accessible Probability in a Low Earth Orbit Satellite to Ground Laser Communications

Abstract

The accessible probability of a low-orbit satellite from ground is estimated by using images taken by a meteorological satellite and by analyzing visible passes of the satellite. The study indicates that the blockage by clouds in satellite-ground laser communications is almost avoidable by properly distributing several optical ground stations. For the calculation, we use an orbit information of a low-earth orbit satellite, the Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS), as the counterpart of the optical ground stations. The calculation of the cumulative accessible probability shows the required time to achieve over 99% accessibility between the low orbit satellite and the optical ground stations.