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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Technology Development for High Efficiency Optical Communications

Deep space optical communications is a significantly more challenging operational domain than near Earth space optical communications, primarily due to effects resulting from the vastly increased range between transmitter and receiver. The NASA Game Changing Development Program Deep Space Optical Communications Project is developing four key technologies for the implementation of a high efficiency telecommunications system that will enable greater than 10X the data rate of a state-of-the-art deep space RF system (Ka-band) for similar transceiver mass and power burden on the spacecraft. These technologies are a low mass spacecraft disturbance isolation assembly, a flight qualified photon counting detector array, a high efficiency flight laser amplifier and a high efficiency photon counting detector array for the ground-based receiver.

Space Receiver↗
NASA NTRS2019

Cognitive Communications for NASA Space Systems

The growing complexity of spacecraft constellations, communication relay offerings, and mission architectures drives the need for the development of autonomous communication systems. NASA has traditionally launched single spacecraft missions that are served by the Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) program. Operations on SCaN networks are typically scheduled weeks in advance, and often each asset serves a single user spacecraft at a time. Recent movement towards swarm missions could make the current approach unsustainable. Additionally, the integration of commercial communication service providers will substantially increase the data transfer options available to new missions. NASA science missions have found benefit in launching swarms of spacecraft, allowing coordinated simultaneous observations from different perspectives. Inter-spacecraft communication (mesh networking) is an enabler for this architecture, as are CubeSats that allow cost-effective provisioning of distributed mission assets. As more complex swarm missions launch, one challenge is coordinating communication within the swarm and choosing the appropriate mechanism for telemetry, tracking, control, and data services to and from Earth. Cognitive communications research conducted by SCaN aims to mitigate the increasing communication complexity for mission users by increasing the autonomy of links, networks, and service scheduling. By considering automation techniques including recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, cognitive algorithms and related approaches enable increased mission science return, improved resource utilization for service provider networks, and resiliency in unpredictable or unplanned environments. The Cognitive Communications Project at the NASA Glenn Research Center develops applications of data-driven, non-deterministic methods to improve the autonomy of space communication. The project emphasizes development of decentralized space networks with artificial intelligence agents optimizing communication link throughput, data routing, and system-wide asset management. This paper discusses the objectives, approaches, and opportunities of the research to address growing needs of the space communications community.

Chelmins, David↗
NASA NTRS1985

Highly Efficient Nd:yag Lasers for Free-space Optical Communications

A highly efficient Nd:YAG laser end-pumped by semiconductor lasers as a possible free-space optical communications source is discussed. Because this concept affords high pumping densities, a long absorption length, and excellent mode-matching characteristics, it is estimated that electrical-to-optical efficiencies greater than 5% could be achieved. Several engineering aspects such as resonator size and configuration, pump collecting optics, and thermal effects are also discussed. Finally, possible methods for combining laser-diode pumps to achieve higher output powers are illustrated.

Sipes, D. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Earth-Image Tracking in the IR for Deep Space Optical Communications

Sub-microradian level laser beam pointing to an Earth-based receiver is required for deep space optical communications. This requires a beacon emanated from Earth towards the spacecraft. The beacon could be a laser or reflected sunlight from Earth. Earth image tracking in the visible is hampered by significant albedo variations and/or crescent Earth image yielding large central errors. Here, we report results of Earth-image tracking in the infrared (8 to 13 micron) region of the spectrum with the aim of substantially alleviating the two challenges mentioned earlier.

earth image tracking↗
NASA NTRS1972

Wide-band laser communications in space.

Candidate wideband (1 Gbit/sec) satellite laser communications systems are compared with respect to projected component technology and launch cost. It appears that the carbon dioxide (10.6-micron) system offers a SNR advantage over the Nd:YAG (1.06-micron) or doubled Nd:YAG (0.53-micron) systems for comparable satellite burden. The launch costs for the carbon dioxide and doubled Nd:YAG systems can be similar, but the latter is very sensitive to the projected weight of a large lightweight photon-bucket receiving aperture. The most critical technology problem for the carbon dioxide system is that of Doppler compensation.

Forster, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Concept for Multiple-Access Free-Space Laser Communications

A design concept for a proposed airborne or spaceborne free-space optical-communication terminal provides for simultaneous reception of signals from multiple other opticalcommunication terminals aboard aircraft or spacecraft that carry scientific instruments and fly at lower altitudes. The concept reflects the need for rapid acquisition and tracking of the signals coming from the lower-altitude terminals as they move across the field of view.

Wilson, Keith↗
NASA NTRS1983

Deep space optical communications experiment

An optical communications experiment between a deep space vehicle and an earth terminal is under consideration for later in this decade. The experimental link would be incoherent (direct detection) and would employ two-way cooperative pointing. The deep space optical transceiver would ride piggyback on a spacecraft with an independent scientific objective. Thus, this optical transceiver is being designed for minimum spacecraft impact - specifically, low mass and low power. The choices of laser transmitter, coding/modulation scheme, and pointing mechanization are discussed. A representative telemetry link budget is presented.

Kinman, P.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Space Optical Communications Using Laser Beams

A system for communicating between an object in space and a ground station, between objects in space, or between ground stations, includes a telecentric lens. Photodetectors positioned upon a focal plane of the telecentric lens detect an inbound light beam, received from a source, that has passed through the telecentric lens to the focal plane. Lasers positioned upon the focal plane transmit light beams from the focal plane through the telecentric lens to an area that includes the source of the inbound light beam. A processor detect signals from individual photodetectors corresponding to light detected, and selectively signals individual lasers that are close to those photodetectors, resulting in a returning beam that arrives close to the source, and which carries encoded data.

Goorjian, Peter M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Navigation Using Deep-Space Optical Communication Systems

This work investigates the deep-space spacecraft navigation performance achievable from tracking data types obtained using optical communication systems. These optical navigation types include ranging between spacecraft and a station on Earth and astrometric measurements of angular position. Two mission scenarios are analyzed: an interplanetary cruise trajectory for a Mars lander (Mars 2020), and a science orbit for a Mars orbiter (MAVEN). Various data types are simulated using comprehensive measurement models, tracking schedules, and geometrical constraints. Sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the effect of various contributors to measurement accuracy and navigation performance. For both of the mission scenarios studied, the optical navigation types yield equivalent or improved performance as compared to traditional radiometric observables, though radiometric data types slightly outperform optical observables during tracking data gaps in the science orbit scenario.

McCandless, Sarah Elizabeth↗
NASA NTRS1973

Executive summary

The scope of Technology Forecasting for Space Communications is very wide, covering virtually every technology that can directly or indirectly affect space communications. The assigned effort, however, was directed toward a series of studies which individually examined important aspects of space communications and which collectively was interrelated. The contributions of the individual tasks and their interrelationship are indicated. The total effort of the tasks was fairly evenly divided between laser oriented and radio frequency tasks. The investigations show that laser communications have a current state of the art which would allow operational systems to be implemented in the 1975 to 1980 time frame. Further, these systems, when operated over ranges in the order of synchronous ranges (42,000 km)and transmitting data rates of 10 to the 8th power 10 to the 9th power bits per second will have a smaller total weight impact on a spacecraft than do radio systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1965

Detection of, and communication with space vehicles during atmospheric entry, problems in simulation

In considering the problem of communicating with outer space and detection of spacecraft from the ground, one usually has to worry about only the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves of vacuum wavelength falling within either one of the two well known "atmospheric windows," namely; (1) the "optical window" extending from about 0.3 microns to a few microns, and (2) the "RF window" extending from a few millimeters to about 30 meters in the wavelength scale. However, during entry (or reentry) of a spacecraft into the earth's atmosphere, there exists two physical phenomena which tend to complicate the communication problem on the one hand, and to simplify the detection problem on the other hand.

Detection↗
NASA NTRS1991

GOPEX - A deep-space optical communications demonstration with the Galileo spacecraft

The Galileo Optical communications from an Earth-based Xmtr (GOPEX) demonstration is designed to exhibit deep-space optical communications using the Galileo spacecraft. The optical transmitter consists of a Nd:YAG laser coupled to a 24-in. telescope at the Table Mountain Observatory (TMO), and the receiver is the Solid-State Imaging camera on board Galileo. The objectives of the demonstration are to understand the issues involved in blind-pointing to a spacecraft in deep space, and to assess the quality of the optical uplink by comparing the experimental results with theoretical predictions. The demonstration is proposed for December 1992 during the second earth-flyby period of Galileo's trajectory.

Wilson, Keith E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Space Station communications system design and analysis

Attention is given to the methodologies currently being used as the framework within which the NASA Space Station's communications system is to be designed and analyzed. A key aspect of the CAD/analysis system being employed is its potential growth in size and capabilities, since Space Station design requirements will continue to be defined and modified. The Space Station is expected to furnish communications between itself and astronauts on EVA, Orbital Maneuvering Vehicles, Orbital Transfer Vehicles, Space Shuttle orbiters, free-flying spacecraft, coorbiting platforms, and the Space Shuttle's own Mobile Service Center.

Ratliff, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Demonstration of Space Optical Transmitter Development for Multiple High Frequency Bands

As the demand for multiple radio frequency carrier bands continues to grow in space communication systems, the design of a cost-effective compact optical transmitter that is capable of transmitting selective multiple RF bands is of great interest, particularly for NASA Space Communications Network Programs. This paper presents experimental results that demonstrate the feasibility of a concept based on an optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technique that enables multiple microwave bands with different modulation formats and bandwidths to be combined and transmitted all in one unit, resulting in many benefits to space communication systems including reduced size, weight and complexity with corresponding savings in cost. Experimental results will be presented including the individual received RF signal power spectra for the L, C, X, Ku, Ka, and Q frequency bands, and measurements of the phase noise associated with each RF frequency. Also to be presented is a swept RF frequency power spectrum showing simultaneous multiple RF frequency bands transmission. The RF frequency bands in this experiment are among those most commonly used in NASA space environment communications.

Nguyen, Hung↗
NASA NTRS2004

Laser Beam Steering/shaping for Free Space Optical Communication

The 2-D Optical Phased Array (OPA) antenna based on a Liquid Crystal On Silicon (LCoS) device can be considered for use in free space optical communication as an active beam controlling device. Several examples of the functionality of the device include: beam steering in the horizontal and elevation direction; high resolution wavefront compensation in a large telescope; and beam shaping with the computer generated kinoform. Various issues related to the diffraction efficiency, steering range, steering accuracy as well as the magnitude of wavefront compensation are discussed.

Wang, Xinghua↗
NASA NTRS2003

Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing Using Earth Thermal Images for Deep Space Optical Communications

The feasibility of using long wavelength Earth thermal (infrared) images for telescope tracking/pointing application. for both Deep Space Free- pace Optical Communications has been investigated and is reported her. The advantage of this technology rests on using full Earth images in this band, which yield more accurate estimates of geometric centroids than that of Earth images in the visible band. Another major advantage is that these images are nearly independent of Earth phase angle. The results of the study show that at a Mars range, with currently available sensors, a noise equivalent angle of 10 to 150 nanoradians and a bias error of better than 80 nanoradians can be obtained. This enables precise pointing of the optical communications beam for high data rate links.

free-space optical communication↗