LIFi

As well as CubeSats and reentry capsules, Ariane 6 will launch four onboard experiments that will carry out research during the rocket’s flight, ending their mission as the rocket does. LIFI is one of them, a new technology experiment from French company Oledcomm, a spinoff from Paris-Saclay University.

Wi-Fi uses radio waves to send data without wires, providing wireless internet and network connections. Li-Fi (“Light Fidelity”) does the same using light, that for certain applications may offer greater security, higher bandwidth, lower cost and power consumption compared to using Wi-Fi.

“LEDs can switch on and off several million times a second. Using the invisible spectrum of light in the infrared, Oledcomm converts information into binary data, like optical Morse code. This modulation occurs so quickly, more than 10 million times a second, that the eye cannot perceive it. Our experiment will confirm that this technology can also be used under space conditions.”

For space missions, Li-Fi technology allows for ultra-secure and interference-free wireless connection, and significant weight savings by eliminating radiation-resistant space-grade cables. It is an important step forward too for intra-satellite communications—i.e. the exchange of information between different subsystems within a single satellite. Ariane 6, during its first launch set for early July, will be the first rocket to integrate Li-Fi technology.