Role of satellite laser communications in the global and national information infrastructures

Laser communications can play an important role in future hybrid network architectures of orbital and terrestrial systems, allowing rapid access to multimedia information services. Satellite communications will be an important segment upon which these future hybrid network architectures will be based. Recent technological advances in the supporting technologies have now enabled laser communication subsystems to support the anticipated high-performance characteristics needed by future networks. In this paper we describe the advantages of space borne optical communications for intersatellite links and the application to the emerging Information Infrastructures.