Photonic lambda switching for satellites

A method performed by a satellite payload system, the satellite payload system comprising:

• a plurality of optical processing modules, each optical processing module comprising:
• a module input comprising an optical splitter,
• a module output comprising an optical coupler,
• a dynamic gain equalizer interposed between a first output of the optical splitter and a first input to the optical coupler,
• an output bank of optical filters coupled to a second output of the optical splitter, and
• an input bank of optical filters coupled to a second input of the optical coupler;
• wherein the plurality of optical processing modules comprise a plurality of ring-connected optical processing modules and a plurality of inter-satellite optical processing modules;
• and
• at least one optical fiber ring configured to convey a plurality of photonic wavelengths, the at least one optical fiber ring communicatively coupled to each of the ring-connected optical processing modules via respective module inputs and module outputs of the ring-connected optical processing modules;
• the method comprising:
• communicatively coupling optically, by at least one inter-satellite processing module, to a respective remote satellite via a module input of the at least one inter-satellite processing module and via a module output of the at least one inter-satellite processing module;
• passing, by the at least one inter-satellite processing module and to at least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules via respective banks of optical filters, wavelengths comprising inter-satellite data;
• and
• processing, at least in part by the at least one of the ring-connected optical processing modules, the inter-satellite data.