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Small Spacecraft Technology

Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD)

Completed Technology Project

Project Introduction

The OCSD mission will demonstrate high-speed optical transmission of data using a miniature laser communications system that will increase downlink data rates for small spacecraft from the typical existing rates of about 10 kilobits per second (kb/s) to a theoretical limit of 200 megabits per second (Mb/s). The mission will also demonstrate small spacecraft proximity operations and RF-crosslinking of data between two spacecraft. OCSD includes two flight demonstrations, a single satellite engineering risk reduction flight with a 1.5U CubeSat and then the full demonstration mission with two 1.5U CubeSats.

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Anticipated Benefits

Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners

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Project Duration

Technology Maturity (TRL)

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