The Laser - Enhanced Mission Communications Navigation and Operational Services ( LEMNOS ) office at Goddard Space Flight Center ( GSFC ) manages two NASA optical communication related projects , the Orion EM-2 Optical Communications Terminal ( O2O ) and the Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration ( LCRD ) Low - Earth Orbit ( LEO ) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal ( ILLUMA - T ) projects . The main goal of LEMNOS project is to implement optical communications technologies on NASA missions starting with demonstrations of operational utility on Orion EM-2 and the International Space Station .