NASA Mission Tests Space-Based Laser Communications

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Monday NASA announced three technology demonstration missions. One of them is particularly interesting--the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration. If successful, this technology would provide much higher data rates from space probes observing Mars and more distant planets. NASA said the mission will "demonstrate and validate a reliable, capable, and cost effective optical communications technology for infusion into operational near earth and deep space systems."

The laser communications system would be able to transmit data from Mars at data rates of 100 Mbps as compared to the current limit of 6 Mbps for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Except for a drawing of the system, little technical data was provided. It appears a laser-based system will require laser receivers on satellites to convert the optical signals to RF for the final link back to Earth. If this were not done, I imagine that clouds and the atmosphere could interfere with the signal.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung
Contributor

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack. A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.