Satellite Laser Communication Activities in NICT

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)has initiated several R&D projects related to satellite laser communications. In this paper we present some of the recent activities in the field, including the Small Optical TrAnsponder (SOTA)for LEO satellites, High-speed Communication with Advanced Laser Instrument (HICALI)for GEO feederlinks, and the Observation system of the patch of Blue Sky for optical Communication (OBSOC)for site diversity and handover decisions. The main purpose for these projects is to increase the knowledge in the area and to promote the technology through successful demonstrations.