Status of free-space optical communications program at JPL

Optical communications is a rapidly developing technology applicable to future NASA and commercial space missions that desire a communications terminal that provides a higher data rate with lower mass and power. An experimental transmitter that will downlink data at the rate of 2.5 Gbps from the International Space Station is being constructed. Under its X2000 program, JPL plans to develop a deep space optical communications transceiver for micro-spacecraft that would, in an early demonstration, support 10's of Kbps data-rate from the Mars range. NASA is currently building a 1-m R&D telescope laboratory at its Table Mountain Facility in Southern California to answer key implementation questions of this technology. The telescope is designed with fast tracking capability and will act as a testbed for development of ground acquisition, tracking and communications strategies applicable to future operational stations. These and other programs currently under development are described.