The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) completed the first 18 months of its Experiment Program in December 2023. Geosynchronous-ground experiments to date have included demonstrations of optimetrics and of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN), and measurements of the effects of the atmosphere on lasercom performance and availability. Future operational scenarios have been emulated. This paper provides an overview and highlights of the first 18 months of LCRD experiments, and a preview of the upcoming experiments, including relaying data to and from the International Space Station.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) mission began its two-year Experiment Program in June 2022. This experimental phase includes long-term measurement of the effects of the atmosphere (turbulence, weather) on the performance and availability of lasercom. Furthermore, various future operational scenarios including robotic and exploration missions and various network service configurations are being emulated. In addition to experiments and demonstrations proposed by the LCRD Investigator Team, NASA enables individuals and groups from government agencies, academia, and industry to propose experiments under the LCRD Guest Experimenters Program. This conference paper provides highlights of the early LCRD experiments and a preview of the future experiments, including relaying data to and from the Integrated LCRD Low- Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) on the International Space Station. The LCRD geosynchronous payload includes two laser communications terminals interconnected via an onboard electronic switch, and can relay information between two optical ground stations located in California and Hawaii. LCRD is a joint project involving NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL).
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