The lunar laser communications demonstration

Abstract

The Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration represents NASA's first attempt to demonstrate optical communications from a lunar orbiting spacecraft to an Earth-based ground receiver. A low size, weight and power optical terminal will be integrated onto the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft, presently scheduled to launch in 2013. LLCD will demonstrate duplex optical communications between this small space terminal and a multi-aperture photon-counting ground terminal at downlink data rates of up to 622 Mbps and uplink data rates of up to 20 Mbps.