Title :
The lunar laser communications demonstration
Author :
Robinson, Bryan S. ; Boroson, Don M. ; Burianek, Dennis A. ; Murphy, Daniel V.
Author_Institution :
MIT Lincoln Lab., Lexington, MA, USA
Abstract :
The Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration represents NASA´s first attempt to demonstrate optical communications from a lunar orbiting spacecraft to an Earth-based ground receiver. A low size, weight and power optical terminal will be integrated onto the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft, presently scheduled to launch in 2013. LLCD will demonstrate duplex optical communications between this small space terminal and a multi-aperture photon-counting ground terminal at downlink data rates of up to 622 Mbps and uplink data rates of up to 20 Mbps.
Keywords :
optical fibre communication; optical receivers; space communication links; space vehicles; Earth-based ground receiver; LADEE spacecraft; NASA; lunar atmosphere and dust environment explorer; lunar laser communications; lunar orbiting spacecraft; optical communications; Downlink; Moon; Optical fiber communication; Optical fibers; Optical receivers; Telescopes; Free-space optical communications; lasercom; lunar laser communications demonstration; photon counting receiver;
Conference_Titel :
Space Optical Systems and Applications (ICSOS), 2011 International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Santa Monica, CA
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-9686-0
DOI :
10.1109/ICSOS.2011.5783709
