MLCD: overview of NASA's Mars laser communications demonstration system

Don M. Boroson; Abhijit Biswas; Bernard L. Edwards

doi:10.1117/12.543014

16 June 2004 MLCD: overview of NASA's Mars laser communications demonstration system

Don M. Boroson, Abhijit Biswas, Bernard L. Edwards

Proceedings Volume 5338, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XVI; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.543014
Event: Lasers and Applications in Science and Engineering, 2004, San Jose, Ca, United States

Abstract

NASA is presently overseeing a project to create the world's first free-space laser communications system that can be operated over a range much larger than the near-earth ranges that have been demonstrated to date. To be flown on the Mars Telecom Orbiter, planned for launch by NASA in 2009, it will demonstrate high-rate laser communications from Mars orbit to one of several planned earth receiver sites. To support 1-10 Mbps over the up to 400 million kilometer link, the system will make use of a high peak-power doped-fiber transmitter, a hybrid pointing and tracking system, high efficiency modulation and coding techniques, photon-counting detectors, and novel optical collector architectures that can point near the sun. The project is being undertaken by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL), and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Citation Download Citation

Don M. Boroson, Abhijit Biswas, and Bernard L. Edwards "MLCD: overview of NASA's Mars laser communications demonstration system", Proc. SPIE 5338, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XVI, (16 June 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.543014

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