The Laser Communications Relay Display (LCRD), launched Dec. 7 aboard the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program 6 satellite, will verify the transmission and reception of high-resolution images, video, and data from geosynchronous orbit to ground stations in California and Hawaii. Data will be transmitted via an infrared laser at a speed of 1.2 Gbit/s, twice the bandwidth of the 2013 lunar laser communication, which uses 622 Mbit/s optical signals to transmit data to the Moon, and is 10 to 100 times greater than radio frequency systems that they used the spacecraft traditionally, NASA officials said. In addition to higher bandwidth, laser communication systems are smaller, lighter and use less energy than radio frequency systems, so they can be used to enhance robotic and human exploration of the entire solar system.
What makes LCRD different from commercial satellite communications is its ability to transmit data back to Earth. Current satellite constellations use optical networks to share data, but they still rely heavily on radio frequency links to send data back to terrestrial systems because the atmosphere distorts the laser signal.
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LCRD will spend two years improving optical communications for space and conducting experiments for government agencies for the commercial aerospace community and university researchers. Furthermore, the LCRD will act as a relay between optical communication stations on the International Space Station and ground stations on Earth. “This launch introduces exciting new technology for space missions,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. “Demonstrating this innovative method of communication with the spacecraft will open the door for this technology to broaden the horizons of future space missions.”
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- Title: NASA Tests Optical Communication from Space to Earth – GCN
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