Multi-functional Optical Subsystem Enabling Laser Communication on Small Satellites, Phase I

The development of a multi-functional optical subsystem enabling high-precision optical communication on small satellites has the potential to enable progress toward several NASA Strategic Goals, Grand Challenges, and Technology Roadmaps: Increasing the capabilities of small spacecraft in LEO through this proposed effort will lower the bar for budgets required to conduct space-based Earth Science, Solar Science, Astronomy, or commercial research, increasing the quantity and quality of scientific output as well as opening the door for commercial space exploration. * NASA Strategic Goal 2: Expand scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe in which we live * NASA Strategic Goal 3: Create the innovative new space technologies for our exploration, science, and economic future * Grand Challenges: Economical space access * Technology Roadmap: Science instruments, observatories and sensor systems The development of the proposed capability for small spacecraft is an enab As communication capability is a common infrastructure element to any meaningful remotely operated platform, there are innumerable potential applications for a low mass, low power optical communications system of the type enabled by the proposed work. A brief list of a few especially attractive applications include: High bandwidth applications for small satellites in LEO * Satellite crosslink communications * HD video from orbit * Low cost Earth observation constellations * Real-time disaster monitoring * Data-rich scientific payloads Low bandwidth applications for small spacecraft in deep-space * NEO detection and exploration * Solar observation * Astronomy observation Terrestrial high-bandwidth data communication * UAVs * Robots/Vehicles These commercial applications can be enabled through direct sales of the multi-functional optical subsystems, licensing of the design for inclusion in other systems, and sales of fully integrated small spacecraft. More »