Photon-counting for deep space optical communications

Abhijit Biswas; Meera Srinivasan; Emma Wollman; Erik Alerstam; Ryan Rogalin; Ken Andrews; Jason Allmaras

doi:10.1117/12.3013703

7 June 2024 Photon-counting for deep space optical communications

Abhijit Biswas, Meera Srinivasan, Emma Wollman, Erik Alerstam, Ryan Rogalin, Ken Andrews, Jason Allmaras

Proceedings Volume 13025, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XVIII; 1302508 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3013703
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2024, National Harbor, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Motivated by the need for higher data volume return from NASA’s future planetary missions, the deep space optical communications (DSOC) technology demonstration (TD) was initiated. The DSOC project integrated a flight laser transceiver to the Psyche Mission spacecraft which launched on Oct. 13, 2023. Ground transmitting and receiving stations implemented by instrumenting existing assets, make more or less weekly optical links with the receding spacecraft. Compared to past and ongoing free-space optical communication (FSOC) TD’s, the key difference for DSOC, is the huge increase in link distance. Photon-counting at both ends of the link were mandated to overcome the link difficulty, defined as data-rate times link-distance squared. In this paper a summary of the photon-counting applications and experience gained so far will be described.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Abhijit Biswas, Meera Srinivasan, Emma Wollman, Erik Alerstam, Ryan Rogalin, Ken Andrews, and Jason Allmaras "Photon-counting for deep space optical communications", Proc. SPIE 13025, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XVIII, 1302508 (7 June 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3013703

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