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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Hi!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>This is Bernie Edwards from NASA again.&nbsp; I hope all of you are doing well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The IOAG&#8217;s Optical Link Study Group (OLSG) has tasked a small group of OLSG members to determine which CCSDS protocols might be applicable to optical communications and to identify new standards that have to be written.&nbsp; For new standards that have to be written, we were asked to estimate the amount of resources (which I interpreted to mean number of people and how long to write it) that will be required by the CCSDS.&nbsp; We also have to estimate the resources needed to create a charter and to write a white paper on optical communications.&nbsp; I personally believe that a white paper should be easy to write given the two OLSG reports written to date plus the work previously done by the Optical Comm SIG..<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>As part of this action, NASA has proposed to the OLSG group that future optical communications links use the CCSDS standard AOS at the frame level.&nbsp; That will ensure that all CCSDS protocols above AOS will be compatible with future optical communications links.&nbsp; This is what is currently being done on NASA&#8217;s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) project in development.&nbsp; If this is accepted by the group, then the group can focus on standards needed below the frame level.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>DLR and TESAT have stated that the protocol used in the TESAT flight terminal is packetized telemetry using a new frame structure (&#8220;like CCSDS but optimized&#8221;).&nbsp; Their frames can carry anything above the frame level, just like NASA&#8217;s statement that AOS can carry any CCSDS protocol on top of AOS.&nbsp; However, this would require making this an actual CCSDS standard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>I am trying to determine if there is something else being used at the frame level in an optical communications system (<b><u>or something that would be proposed for a future international standard</u></b>) by any of the space agencies.&nbsp; I want to make sure all protocols / framing structures are considered, especially if they are in use.&nbsp; If you know of something different, please let me know<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Otherwise, if the small group handling this action for OLSG believes that either AOS or this CCSDS-like frame can be used, then it means that the group can just focus on the level below:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wavelength<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Modulation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coding<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interleaving<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Bernie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>----------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Bernard L. Edwards<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Chief Communications Systems Engineer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Electrical Engineering Division (Code 560)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>NASA Goddard Space Flight Center<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>(301) 286-8926<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>E-Mail:&nbsp; <a href="mailto:Bernard.L.Edwards@nasa.gov"><span style='color:windowtext'>Bernard.L.Edwards@nasa.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>&quot;Dream - Believe - Dare - Do&quot;</span></b><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p></div></body></html>