High End Engineering Photonic Labs

High End Engineering Photonic Labs (Photonics Ltd.) is an small medium size enterprise, which, thanks to the long term experience and expertise of their staff, consultants and experts, can provide a high efficiency approach to development of the satellite laser ranging and space surveillance optical systems.

About Us

Portfolio

However the optical system is the basis of many space instruments, it frequently does not receive enough attention. Optical system design is very complicated task, due to very complex behaviour and properties of  light

Satellite Laser Ranging

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Optical communication ground station

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News

Projekts tiek īstenots sadarbībā ar LIAA

The project is being implemented in collaboration with LIAA*

Project ‘Planning for the Establishment of the Space and Related Sectors Testing and Trial Center,’ in collaboration with partner organizations Riga Technical University (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Transport, and Aeronautics, Aeronautics Institute) and SIA ‘Baltic Scientific Instruments.’

Funding has been allocated under the project ‘Development of the Space Technology and Service Cluster 2012-2015’

*Latvian Investment and Development Agency

Research project "Design of Long-Distance High Data Rate Laser Optical Communication Systems"06.05.2022.
Our researcher proposed and verified the system for three-dimensional incoherent imaging using spiral rotating point spread functions created by double-helix beams that exhibit higher focal depth than direct imaging systems. I firmly believe that the current study will open a pathway for implementing different incoherent exotic beams and structured light for multidimensional and multispectral imaging technologies.
Research project "Design of Long-Distance High Data Rate Laser Optical Communication Systems"07.03.2022.
Metalens design with silicon cross-shaped meta-atoms that form two-polarization dependent focal points was developed. The dielectric metalens with controlled functionality operates in a visible regime to generate subwavelength light intensity distributions with an extended depth of focus, which is highly desirable in numerous applications that can not be achieved by mono-polarization.
Research project "Design of Long-Distance High Data Rate Laser Optical Communication Systems"10.12.2021.
Robust demultiplexing of OAM beams of different values into various geometrical configurations over a broad wavelength range was demonstrated. The proposed approach paves a way to reduce the cost of the commercial OAM modes-based communication systems and projects a simple method for increasing the number of channels in the communication system over free-space or fiber links with minimal intermodal crosstalk.

Support for the implementation of post-doctoral research

Research project “Design of Long-Distance High Data Rate Laser Optical Communication Systems” in collaboration with the State Education Development Agency

Laser communication has potential advantages in comparison to radio frequency communication for space vehicles. The project team developed the concept of the bidirectional communication system for free space (FSO) laser communication links from space terminals (ST) at low Earth orbit (LEO) nano-, microsatellites with emphasis on CubeSat or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to transportable or to stationary positioned optical ground based terminal (GT) to achieve the high data rate communications. 

Publications

Find publications and press releases. This page is still in development and is not a complete list of all publications.

Space Science and Technology

Bidirectional space to ground
laser communication system for cubesat

Laser communication has potential advantages in comparison to radio frequency communication for space vehicles. The project team developed the concept of the bidirectional communication system for free space (FSO) laser communication links from space terminals (ST) at low Earth orbit (LEO) nano-, microsatellites with emphasis on CubeSat or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to transportable or to stationary positioned optical ground based terminal (GT) to achieve the high data rate communications. 

Very accurate pointing and tracking capability will be provided by options of optical auto-tracking for both ST and GT. This capability will provide fast moving of flying platforms with very precise visible movement tracking of their optical axes of telescopes and their optical alignment. Such improvement will allow optical transmission of data over a long distance while requiring fewer resources from the hardware of flying platform ST. These solutions give significant advantages compared to existing solutions. Our innovative diffraction resolution without aberration of the optical system with broad spectrum band will be used for the ST during of work of transmission, receiving, and video optical channels. The optical systems of GT embedded in the lightweight 2-axes alt-azimuth mount with enhanced turning range will allow smooth, high-speed tracking without any gaps at zenith. All optical system axes of GT and the alt-azimuth mount axes are controlled by an auto-collimator having unique auto-adjustment feature. The innovative stationary positioned GT is also proposed.

Partners

Baltic-Photonics-Cluster
klastera_logo
leo
nordicbaltsat_logo
Ventspils-Augsto_tehnologiju-_parks-lv

Contact Us

Get in Touch

  • Andris Treijs (+371) 29395146
  • andris.treijs[at]heephotonic.eu
  • Jelena Kupate (+371) 26545443
  • jelena.kupate[at]heephotonic.eu

hours

  • Mon-Fri 9:00 - 18:00

Address

  • Nomales 6-25
    Riga, LV-1002, Latvia

Photonic Ltd.

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High End Engineering Photonic Labs

High End Engineering Photonic Labs Ltd. (HEE Photonics Labs) is an small medium size enterprise, which, thanks to the long term experience and expertise of their staff, consultants and experts, can provide a high efficiency approach to development of the satellite laser ranging technologies and instruments. Company has strategic relationships with Latvian University, and in collaboration with university scientists – inventors patented a revolutionary research – advanced optical system, that gives improved technical parameters. The company staff has unique multidisciplinary expertise in optical design, laser technology, electronics, very precise mechanics, extremely precise event timing, signal processing hardware and software, database management, astronomy and astrometry. 

HEE Photonics Labs is a spin-off of the University of Latvia, Institute of Astronomy (part of Association FOTONIKA-LV –www.lu.lv/FOTONIKA-LV). The company was founded to commercialize research results as well as to participate in various scientific projects related to space photonics. Some engineers of the staff was envolved into everyday service of Satellite Laser Ranging station in Riga. Their lively expertise allows us the development of advanced optical systems for earth observation and high precision universal satellite laser ranging for observation and tracking of unknown flying objects, and laboratory test. The leading scientists of HEE Photonic Labs has long term and multidisciplinary experience in development of space and military optical systems since sowiet times. Totally 7 high precision SLR instruments for tracking of unknown space objects has been designed by this team members, produced in Riga and installed in Metseahovi (Finland), Potzdam (Germany), (Ukraine – 4)  and Riga (Latvia), as well as about 50  various space-related optical devices over the world.  

© 2025. All rights Reserved. Photonic Ltd.

Satellite Laser Ranging

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) tool is equal important as the orbiting satellites.

  • Strategic applications
  • for Space Surveillance Awareness the estimation of collision risk for earth-orbiting spacecraft and the factors and challenges in obtaining timely, accurate, comprehensive, and transparent positional and situational awareness of our space operating environment can be performed only by SLR;
  • tracking capabilities of all new launches into space including missiles (i.e., space situational awareness capabilities);
  • precise navigation of space objects that can be used for targeting and deployment of weapons systems as well as space communications and meteorological systems to meet national defense operations;
  • protections against attacks on strategic assets in orbit; and
  • conducting research on new space systems and technology of possible use in future defense-related systems such as space debris removal
  • SLR project incorporates several novel approaches
  • the main diffraction resolution optical system can provide tracking of 2-3 cm size satellites at distance 1000 km, and size about ~20 cm at a range of 37000 km (typical GEO distance)
  • specific design of the telescope’s optical and mechanical systems allows the use of different power and frequency lasers
  • system design allows the use of high power lasers for space debries and small Space object tracking not equipped with retroreflectors as well as for very far space objects (Moon distance and beyond) tracking.
  • advanced continuous automatic adjustment. To get precise results other SLR instruments requires time consuming re-adjusting after each measurement. Our innovative opto-mechanical system allows to get high precision, and continuously keep this precision during ranging.
  • modularity, that ensures different types of lasers to be used with different repetition rate, output power, and pulse width appropriate to planned applications.
  • ability to integrate broadband optical channel for high-speed optical data communication
  • reasonable cost

© 2025. All rights Reserved. Photonic Ltd.

Optical communication ground station

Optical links are the future of satellite communications. Optical communication in space opens virtually unlimited capacities without regulations. By using lasers, satellite optical communication has a readily available frequency band and can transmit with higher power efficiency and with smaller and lighter terminals. Thus, it is expected to be a key technology to support the future satellite communication. For a given mass, power consumption and volume, laser communications can offer an increase in bandwidth over classical RF technology allowing for a variety of new options.

We are a few years away from the mass adoption of optical communications ground terminals, Photonic can propose the technology for customers that wish to explore it further.

Photonic has invented & developed a revolutionary connectivity technology for communication with satellites in different orbits (LEO/MEO/GEO) and can be used for terrestrial data networks. This fundamental technology solves the problem of capacity limitation of satellite communication, crucial for this massive emerging market, while guaranteeing a breakthrough robustness to jamming & interferences, the ultimate long range with a very low energy consumption from the ground to any high-flying platform. 

  • Innovations
  • Laser vortex beam forming to overcome atmospheric distortions for an order longer communication distances
  • Multiplexing of 6-10 chanels in one stream for higher data rate
  • Stable optical channel due to innovative opto-mechanical system
  • Adaptive optics system to mitigate atmospheric turbulence effects
  • Outstanding features of optical communication ground terminal:
  • Ultra high data rate (up to 240 Mbps)
  • Long distance communications with spacecraft both in the high Earth's orbit or deep space.

© 2025. All rights Reserved. Photonic Ltd.