Optical inter-satellite links

Optical inter-satellite links are proposed for communication between LEO satellites to enable connections to ground or aircraft from satellites over the oceans or above sparsely populated areas like the polar regions. Inter-satellite links also offer the possibility of direct customer to customer communications without an intermediate double hop via gateway earth stations and the terrestrial internet.

Optical satellite communications with ground terminals will have to contend with rain and clouds and also the blue sky in daytime. I'm not sure how easy it will be possible to get it to work.  Communications with high flying aircraft, above the weather of rain and clouds, sounds more promising.

A company called Xenesis is making progress with the technology required.

See here for brief information about zen-link and some pictures of a xen-hub, a xen-node : https://xenesis.io/#xen-products

I've sent them my email, hoping for some press releases in future. They are building up their staff and the web site suggests a UK team will be announced soon.