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Beyond-5G (B5G) technology plays a pivotal role in the next generation of communication infrastructure to support the future Society 5.0, a concept introduced in the 5th Basic Plan for Science and Technology by the Japanese Cabinet to define the long-term growth strategy for reconciling economic development with the resolution of social issues through the promotion of science and technologies. Free-space laser communication is a key element in boosting the data transmission capabilities required for B5G applications. The NICT will complete in 2024 the first fully functional prototypes of a series of miniaturized laser-communication terminals for multiple platforms. These terminals are designed to adapt to a wide range of requirements to address scenarios where laser communications can offer a competitive, enhanced solution compared to existing technologies. This paper provides an overview of these terminals' capabilities and the plans for their functional validation, as well as preliminary data from the first full-system tests. A number of innovations integrated into the terminals are introduced, such as the manufacture of the smallest miniaturized EDFA with integrated HPA and LNA and full space qualification to date, the first-ever integration of a beam-divergence control system in a practical communication terminal, the development of the most compact Tbit/s-class modem prototype documented in the literature, and the smallest gimbal design integrated in a lasercom terminal. Furthermore, this paper outlines the mid-term plans for demonstration in the most significant realistic scenarios, emphasizing the use of High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPSs) and ultra-small satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-space optical communication is becoming a mature technology that has been demonstrated in space a number of times in the last few years. The Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has carried out some of the most-significant in-orbit demonstrations over the last three decades. However, this technology has not reached a wide commercial adoption yet. For this reason, NICT is currently working towards the development of a miniaturized laser-communication terminal that can be installed in very small satellites, while also compatible with a variety of other different platforms, meeting a wide span of bandwidth requirements. The strategy adopted in this design has been to create a versatile lasercom terminal that can operate in multiple scenarios and platforms without the need of extensive customization. This manuscript describes the current efforts in NICT towards the development of this terminal, and it shows the prototype that has been already developed for the preliminary tests, which are described as well. These tests will include the performance verification using drones as a first step before installing the prototype on High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) to carry out long-distance communication links between HAPS and ground, and later with the Geostationary (GEO) orbit, covering this way a wide range of operating conditions. For these tests, in the former case the counter terminal is a simple transmitter in the case of the drone and a transportable ground station in the case of the HAPS, and in the latter case the counter terminal is the GEO satellite ETS-IX, foreseen to be launched by NICT in 2023. • NICT is developing a miniaturized laser-communication terminal to fit very-small satellites. • Fulfilling the LEO-CubeSat requirements will allow to fit many other platforms and scenarios. • NICT presents the most miniaturized (effective aperture vs size) space-qualified telescope. • NICT presents the most miniaturized (transmitted power vs size) space-qualified EDFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]