Laser Communications between the Ground and the Space Shuttle Utilizing a Novel Communications Architecture

Dr. T. M. Shay
University of New Mexico
Center for High Technology Materials

The talk will be at noon in room 184 at the DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY - 800 Yale Blvd. NE. Snacks will be provided.

A novel ground to low earth orbit communications system will be presented. This system offers a very lightweight, low power consumption, low data rate communications link from LEO satellites. This link provides full-duplex communications on a single beam, utilizing a novel concept that we have named "Lightwire". In addition, this system utilizes a novel data format for free-space optical communications. The current proposed application is a ground to LEO link. The concept however, is generally applicable to other free-space optical communications systems. In this system, the laser and the downlink receiver are both located on the ground. The optical elements located on the spacecraft are a simple uplink receiver and a retro-modulator. Data rates on the order of 10-kbps are possible without taxing current laser or modulator technology. In fact, a 200-mW diode laser is the laser transmitter for the system. I will present a system link model as well as some preliminary experimental results.