A Shuttle Based Laser System For Space Communication

The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is planning a series of space communication experiments to validate laser technology for future NASA missions. Requirements include sevelal hundred MBPS data relay in the near earth environment and approximately one MBPS over the deep space to earth link. A key element in this program is a Shuttle-based laser system called the Laser Technology Experiments Facility (LTEF). This Facility will be designed to communicate with a cooperative laser system under development for the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) and will conduct a comprehensive set of acquisition, tracking and communication experiments. This report presents the results of the initial study of this Facility with particular emphasis on the challenges associated with LTEF acquisition of the ACTS downlink beacon laser.