Abstract. The article considers the possibility of optical communication for nanosatellites. A review of existing laser and receiver installations is made. Potential problems and challenges that may arise in the implementation of optical communications on spacecraft are described. The structure of optical communication hardware for CubeSat form-factor spacecraft is proposed and a review of commercially available compogents, including laser transmitters and photodetectors, is made. The range of the optical communication line for small spacecraft is evaluated. The results confirming the feasibility of this technology for nanosatellites were obtained.

Keywords: laser, optical communications, nanosatellites, inter-satellite communication, CubeSat

For citation: Kadochnikov D. M., Kadadova A. V., Sotnikova N. V., Trilis A. V., Utkin V. V. Designing optical communication systems for small spacecraft. Aerospace Engineering and Technology. 2023. Vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 134–144. EDN KJOSJB