[Lunar-Interoperability-Forum] paper submission

Wed Mar 27 13:46:21 UTC 2024

Hi,

I submitted a paper, but I got a strange message so I will paste the paper
into this email.

Farzana Khatri

Lunar Optical Communications[1]

Farzana I. Khatri and Bryan S. Robinson

MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA,  <mailto:farzana at ll.mit.edu>
farzana at ll.mit.edu

Summary

Numerous studies have shown that NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) is woefully
inadequate to support the current pace of space exploration [1]. Proposals
are on the table for extensive infrastructure build-out using RF
communications, which is ultimately bandwidth constrained. Optical
communication offers unregulated, near-infinite bandwidth that can easily
support the needs of humans at the Moon and beyond. Although not part of the
proposed lunar network architecture, optical communication systems should be
considered; these systems are operational now, quickly proliferating near
earth space (e.g. StarLink), and offer very high bandwidths.

Lunar optical communication was first successfully demonstrated in 2013 by
NASA’s Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD) between the LADEE
satellite orbiting the moon and three earth-based ground stations [2]. This
demo heavily leveraged Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) 1.5 mm optical
components that are widely-available from telecom suppliers. The comm signal
format used for LLCD was Pulse Position Modulation (PPM) with a ½-rate
convolutional code and it operated error-free at up to 622 Mbps for the
return link and 20 Mbps for the forward link. One of the ground stations,
White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in New Mexico, achieved a real-time comm
link with better than 1 photon per bit efficiency. The physical link was
also closed by ground stations with at JPL’s Table Mountain Facility (TMF)
in California and ESA’s Optical Ground Station (OGS) at Tenerife. 

After this demonstration, NASA and other non-U.S. space agencies embarked on
deploying optical comm systems for near-earth. Several such systems, such as
NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) [3] and ESA’s
European Data Relay System (EDRS) [4], are operating today. Industry has
also caught on and there are several near-earth optical comm systems in
service, including SpaceX’s StarLink. Optical comm standards have also
emerged, including some proposed by the Consultative Committee for Space
Data Systems (CCSDS). CCSDS optical comm standards include a high photon
efficiency standard using PPM [5] for Lunar and deep space applications,
which has been successfully used for the Deep Space Optical Communications
(DSOC) program [6]. 

The upcoming Orion Artemis II Optical Communications (O2O) system will
provide operational 1.5 mm optical comm using CCSDS-compatible PPM waveforms
for the first crewed Artemis mission [7]. The system will provide up to 250
Mbps return link and 20 Mbps forward link from/to the Moon next year and
will support live video during the mission as well as other applications.
O2O will employ optical ground stations located at WSTF and TMF to form the
Earth end of the link. Additional ground stations are being considered to
support this mission and build out the optical ground station
infrastructure.

Optical comm is technologically ready to make a huge impact on deep space
comm networks, offering a way to aggregate local RF data over high bandwidth
optical trunks and provide high data rate services for humans in deep space.
Demonstrations are behind us and operational syste4ms are here now. The
terrestrial telecom sector provides a pipeline of COTS components and
sub-systems from which to build systems. Industry is now offering
off-the-shelf, space-qualified optical comm terminals for near earth
systems, some of which could be leveraged or modified to be compatible with
longer range links. It is time that this technology be considered as a part
of the Lunar and deep space comm architectures. 

References

[1] “Audit of NASA’s Deep Space Network,” IG-23-016, Released July 12, 2023.

[2] Boroson, D.M., Robinson, B.S., Murphy, D.V., Burianek, D.A., Khatri, F.,
Kovalik, J.M., Sodnik, Z. and Cornwell, D.M., 2014, March. Overview and
results of the lunar laser communication demonstration. In Free-Space Laser
Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVI (Vol. 8971, pp. 213-223).
SPIE.

[3] Israel, D.J., Edwards, B.L. and Staren, J.W., 2017, March. Laser
Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) update and the path towards
optical relay operations. In 2017 IEEE Aerospace Conference (pp. 1-6). IEEE.

[4] Gregory, M., Heine, F., Brzoska, A., Oestreich, K., Mahn, R., Pimentel,
P.M. and Zech, H., 2024, March. Status on laser communication activities at
Tesat-Spacecom. In Free-Space Laser Communications XXXVI (Vol. 12877, p.
1287704). SPIE.

[5] Optical Communications Physical Layer, CCSDS Blue Book, August 2019

[6] Velasco, A.E., Allmaras, J., Kovalik, J., Garkanian, V., Douglas, B.,
Alerstam, E., Wright, M., Haque, S., Van Rhein, V., Macdonald, D. and Zhu,
D., 2024, March. Deep space optical communications technology demonstration
pre-launch validation and performance tests with the laser test evaluation
station (LTES). In Free-Space Laser Communications XXXVI (Vol. 12877, pp.
44-58). SPIE.

[7] Robinson, B.S., Khatri, F., Padula, M., Horowitz S., Bay, M., and King,
J., Optical Communcations for Human Space Exploration – Status of Space
Terminal Development for the Artemis II Crewed Mission to the Moon. In 2022
ICSOS Conference. IEEE.

  _____  

[1] DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release. Distribution is
unlimited. This material is based upon work supported by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration under Air Force Contract No.
FA8702-15-D-0001. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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