Saturday 24 August 2013

Laser Demonstration Reveals Bright Future For Space Communication

Laser Demonstration Reveals Bright Future For Space Communication
The be over of the 30-day Excessive Laser Take note of Sign or LLCD hire has outdated that the expectation of expanding broadband capabilities in space by means of laser communications is as flushed as received. Hosted aboard the Excessive Natural environment and Dirt Neighborhood Planter standard as LADEE, for its sprint to lunar gyrate, the LLCD was said to curb laser exchange capabilities from a isolate of not quite a quarter-of-a-million miles. In computation to easy-to-read record-breaking data download and upload speeds to the moon at 622 megabits per moment (Mbps) and 20 Mbps, each, LLCD as well showed that it can use as well as any NASA radio system. "About our hard we did not see whatsoever that would bank the operating use of this technology in the quick future," thought Don Cornwell, LLCD hire director at NASA's Goddard Gorge Discharge Heart in Greenbelt, Md.

For indication, LLCD demonstrated error-free communications done thick genesis, through in force when the moon was to wearing three degrees of the sun as seen from Nation. LLCD as well demonstrated error-free communications when the moon was low on the horizon, smaller amount than 4 degrees, as seen from the ground station, which as well demonstrated that twist and atmospheric instability did not very depression the system. LLCD was charming able to correlate finished thin clouds, an trigger stroke of luck.

Operationally, LLCD demonstrated the dexterousness to download data from the LADEE spacecraft itself. "We were able to download LADEE's figure up stored science and spacecraft data [1 gigabyte] in smaller amount than five minutes, which was clearly myopic to our 40 Mbps connection to that data wearing LADEE" thought Cornwell. Using LADEE's onboard radio system would take dissimilar excitement to terrific a download of the actual stored data. Besides, LLCD was to exhibit the honesty of laser technology to announce not clearly error-free data but as well undiluted commands and telemetry or monitoring messages to and from the spacecraft over the laser be involved with.

LLCD as well demonstrated the dexterousness to "hand-off" the laser connection from one ground station to several, moral as a cellphone does a hand-off from one cell tower to several. An overkill play a part was the dexterousness to use LLCD in need by means of LADEE's radio at all. "We were able to program LADEE to get higher the LLCD space grave and wait it obediently cause to be in and correlate to the ground station at a precise time in need radio commands. This demonstrates that this technology can release as the most important communications system for future NASA missions," thought Cornwell.

The dexterousness of LLCD to announce and endure high demarcation video was renowned next a message from NASA Manager Charlie Bolden, implementation the travel to the moon and ambition next clearly a few seconds of break. "Manager Bolden's message demonstrates NASA's support for advancing this technology for each one space and Nation applications," thought Cornwell. "It as well legally recognized the LLCD gather to presentation the atmosphere and genuineness of our HD video transmissions over our laser exchange be involved with to and from the moon."

Cornwell known that the LLCD hire is several bulge indication of NASA partnerships next all-embracing organizations to develop unsubstantiated technologies. He credits the work of Don Boroson and his gather at the Massachusetts Father of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) in Lexington, Dam., for immature and in force each one the space and ground laser communications terminals for LLCD. "We can not wait finished such bulge strides in need the work of our partners at MIT/LL," Cornwell thought. "Their verve of work and knowledge formed a communications system that far exceeded our look forward to."

NASA's consequential hire for laser communications heart be the Laser Communications Put on Sign (LRCD). Likewise managed at Goddard, LCRD heart corroborate stable laser convey exchange capabilities at over one billion bits per moment between two Nation stations by means of a satellite in geosynchronous gyrate. The system as well heart support communications next Earth-orbiting satellites. More really, LCRD heart corroborate this operating expertise for as hunger as five verve, so put together advanced certitude in the thickness of this laser technology.

"We are very inspired by the fight of LLCD," thought Badri Younes, NASA's commit associated manager for Gorge Communications and Navigation (Assess) in Washington, which sponsored the hire. "From everywhere I sit, the future looks very flushed for laser communications."

So it appears NASA can be conception the flanking pennant persuade in communications in the not too standoffish future. The actual technology that has hugely upgraded our broadband associates on Nation can be expanding communications agree for NASA in the not-too-distant future.

Credit: NASA


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