{"id":513701,"date":"2023-09-20T16:19:43","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T20:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=513701"},"modified":"2023-09-29T16:33:11","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T20:33:11","slug":"optical-communications-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/space-comms\/optical-communications-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"Optical Communications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As NASA missions become increasingly more sophisticated, the amount of data they are able to gather and transmit to Earth is rapidly rising. To accommodate this need, NASA has transitioned to higher-bandwidth radio spectrum usage. However, there is no way for NASA to use radio frequency communications to carry higher data rates without increasing the size of its antennas or power of its radio transmitters. Therefore, NASA is developing optical communications to address limitations of radio frequency (RF) communications, including: bandwidth, spectrum and overall size of frequency packages and power used. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Optical spectrum <\/strong>uses light as a means of transmitting information via lasers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Optical communications benefits <\/strong>include being faster, more secure, lighter and more flexible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Optical communications challenges <\/strong>include a need for precise laser beam accuracy and Earth’s atmosphere interference, such as clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Optical communications timelines <\/strong>are outlined in both a technology and demonstration timeline through 2023, as well as an operational timeline through 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"optical-spectrum\">Optical Spectrum<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=300,119 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=768,304 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=400,158 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=600,238 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=900,356 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Optical Spectrum<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Optical communications use light as a means of transmitting information over long distances. Within the context of NASA, optical communications technology sends data across space using lasers instead of radio frequencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) will use optical transceivers both on the ground and in space to send and receive information. The transceivers will be able to utilize many of the composite portions of the optical spectrum through the implementation of signal modulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, optical spectrum is note regulated, however, SCaN collaborates with international working groups on the use of optical spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"optical-benefits\">Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"1123\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?resize=263,300 263w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?resize=768,876 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?resize=898,1024 898w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?resize=351,400 351w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?resize=526,600 526w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/optical-benefits.png?resize=789,900 789w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The\u00a0critical move to\u00a0optical communications will provide numerous benefits to SCaN\u2019s user missions, including those listed in the graphic above.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Faster: <\/strong>Higher data rates can enable increased data volume for missions that have been able to generate far more data than they could downlink, or enable new \u201chigh definition\u201d instruments that collect larger volumes of data. <em>It’s not that the data is traveling faster with optical communications compared to radio communications. Instead, higher data rate links will enable mission data to be downloaded using shorter contact times, resulting in the use of less onboard spacecraft power and requiring fewer relay terminals and ground sites to support missions. Therefore, the process is sped up.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secure<\/strong>: Optical communications terminals use narrower beam widths than radio frequency (RF) systems. They provide smaller illuminated \u201cfootprints\u201d that improve security by drastically reducing the geographic area where a communications link can be intercepted\/received.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lighter: <\/strong>Optical communications flight terminals reduce user Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP)  because they are smaller, lighter and require less power than traditional RF communications equipment. Reducing the SWAP of onboard communications systems can provide the host mission with increased capacity for science instruments or enable cost savings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Flexible: <\/strong>Optical communications open the possibility of building low-cost ground segments (for low Earth missions) that can be located at mission sites or data centers, enabling lower costs by decreasing ground data transmission costs and consolidating certain mission operations functions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"optical-challenges\">Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For all its benefits, optical communications still faces several challenges. Unlike radio communications, which can be sent out in a broad beam blanketing target areas with its signal, optical communications is sent in a relatively narrow beam pointed directly at a receiver. When broadcasting from thousands or millions of miles away, an optical communications telescope pointing must be extremely precise. A deviation of even a fraction of a degree can result in the laser missing its target entirely.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/scan\/opticalcommunications\/challenges\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1480\" height=\"985\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?w=1480\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg 1480w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=400,266 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=600,399 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=900,599 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cloud-mississipi-optical.jpg?resize=1200,799 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1480px) 100vw, 1480px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Clouds and mist can interrupt optical communications.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>To enhance the optical communications beacon-aided acquisition, Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) is developing beacons near the receivers onto which spacecraft can lock-on to. Just like terrestrial lasers, the beam of space based optical lasers spreads out, or becomes dispersed. As this occurs, the light becomes less dense and the data is harder to retrieve. Special receivers called photon counting detectors are being developed to detect single photons as they travel in the optical beam from space to earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even Earth’s atmosphere interferes with optical communications. Clouds and mist can interrupt a laser. <em>A solution to this is building multiple ground stations, which are telescopes on Earth that receive infrared waves.<\/em> If it\u2019s cloudy at one station, the waves can be redirected to a different ground station. With more ground stations, the network can be more flexible during bad weather. SCaN is also investigating multiple approaches, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/communicating-with-missions-delay-disruption-tolerant-networking\/\">Delay\/Disruption Tolerant Networking<\/a> and satellite arrays to help deal with challenges derived from atmospheric means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"optical-timeline\">Timeline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>2021-2023: Near Earth Relay Technologies<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/laser-communications-relay\/\"><strong>\u200bLaser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD)<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0Optical Relay Demo (2021)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>1.244 Gbps optical relay two ground stations  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Routing of optical signals in a hybrid environment (RF\/optical)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launched December 7, 2021<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/illumat\/\"><strong>Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T)<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0User Relay (2023)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>1.244 Gbps user terminal <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>LEO satellite acquisition and tracking in a GEO relay system- (LCRD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Space Station <==> LCRD <==> Earth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NET January 2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2022: Near Earth Direct to Earth (DTE) Technologies<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u200b<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/cubesat-set-to-demonstrate-nasas-fastest-laser-link-from-space\/\"><strong>TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD<\/strong><\/a><strong>): 200\u00a0Gbps\u00a0Demo\u00a0(2022)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>100 Gbps user terminal; 100 Gbps low-cost ground station <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Space technologies based on commercial off the shelf (COTS) products <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CubeSat-sized, low size, weight and power (SWAP) user terminal, user-site installable ground station<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launched May 25, 2022<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2022: Deep Space DTE Technologies<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u200bDiscovery<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/deep-space-optical-communications-dsoc\/\">\u00a0Psyche\u00a0<\/a>Demo<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Space user terminal 125 Mbps at 40 Mkm range <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>5-meter optical ground station<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deep space optical link<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Operational Timeline <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>2021: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/tdm\/lcrd\/index.html\"><strong>LCRD<\/strong><\/a><strong>: Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Relay Technology Demonstration<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>2022:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/cubesat-set-to-demonstrate-nasas-fastest-laser-link-from-space\/\"><strong>TBIRD<\/strong><\/a><strong>: 200 Gbps Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Direct to Earth (DTE) Near Earth\u00a0Demonstration\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>2022:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/deep-space-optical-communications-dsoc\/\"><strong>Psyche<\/strong><\/a><strong>: Deep Space Technology Demonstration\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>2023:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/illumat\/\"><strong>ILLUMA-T<\/strong><\/a><strong>: User Relay Technology Demonstration\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/communicating-with-missions\/lasercomms\/\">Optical Communications Homepage<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview As NASA missions become increasingly more sophisticated, the amount of data they are able to gather and transmit to Earth is rapidly rising. To accommodate this need, NASA has transitioned to higher-bandwidth radio spectrum usage. However, there is no way for NASA to use radio frequency communications to carry higher data rates without increasing the size [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":323,"featured_media":513780,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"239","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[10576],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[11359,10602],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Optical Communications","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/space-comms\/optical-communications-overview\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/space-comms\/optical-communications-overview\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png"},"articleSection":"Technology","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Catherine G. Manning"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Katherine Schauer"}],"creator":["Catherine G. Manning","Katherine Schauer"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Technology","Communicating and Navigating with Missions"],"dateCreated":"2023-09-20T20:19:43Z","datePublished":"2023-09-20T20:19:43Z","dateModified":"2023-09-29T20:33:11Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Optical Communications\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/space-comms\/optical-communications-overview\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-09-20T20:19:43Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Technology\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Technology,Communicating and Navigating with Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Catherine G. Manning\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Katherine Schauer\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":5,"time_ago":"9 months","featured_image":{"id":513780,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png","title":"spectrum-optical-graphic-web","alt":"","caption":"Optical Spectrum"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513701"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/323"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=513701"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":595055,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513701\/revisions\/595055"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/513780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=513701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=513701"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=513701"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=513701"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=513701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}