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NASA’s Optical Communications Programfor 2017 and Beyond

Dr. Don Cornwell, DirectorAdvanced Communications and Navigation Division 1

SCaN’s Advanced Communication and Navigation High-Level Roadmap

2

3

2014 R&D 100

Winning Technology in Communications

category

2014 Popular Mechanics

Breakthrough Award for

Leadership and

Innovation for LADEE

Nominated for the

National Aeronautic Association's Robert J. Collier Trophy

Winner of the

National Space

Club’s Nelson

P. Jackson

Award for 2015

2013: NASA’s First, Historic

Lasercom Mission

The Lunar Laser Communication

Demonstration (LLCD)

MIT Lincoln Laboratory, NASA GSFC,

NASA Ames, NASA JPL, and ESA

LLCD returned data by laser to Earth at a record

622 Megabits per second (Mbps)

= streaming 30+ HDTV channels simultaneously!

LADEE Space Terminal Laser

Innovative stabilization design enabled

a leap forward in fine pointing accuracy

Flight aperture size reduced by an order of magnitude (4” Laser Window)

Latch to protect and hold

telescope during launch

Approved for Public Release Built by MIT/Lincoln Laboratory

Space Terminal Internal Modules

Controller Electronics ModulePPM Modem Module

• Controller functions

– Spacecraft controls interface

– Space terminal configuration

– Digital controls for PAT

• Uplink functions

– Selectable 10, 20 Mbps

– Command, data, and test pattern demux

• Downlink functions

– Selectable 40-620 Mbps

– Mux terminal telemetry, looped-back uplink, spacecraft data, test patterns

• Enables time-of-flight

LLCD Fully Integrated on LADEE

The LADEE Launch from Wallops

7

11/8/2013

622 Mbps down to Earth

20 Mbps up to LADEE

LLCD’s Historic Accomplishments –

Bringing “Broadband” speeds to and

from the Moon

77 Mbps to Earth through thin clouds

Regular, instantaneous

(seconds!) acquisition and

tracking on all clear passes –

Achieved on the first attempt!

First demonstration of “space

internet” over a laser link

System allows for precise location of

spacecraft for navigation (< 1 cm precision)

Invisible lasers at eyesafe

wavelengths (infrared)

Transmitting Data in broad daylight

at 622 Mbps

< 3° from the Sun

LLCD Accomplishments –

Operating under

Challenging Conditions

Transmitting Data at

77 Mbps

< 5° above the

horizon

LLCD Accomplishments –

No Issues with

Atmospheric Effects like

Fading and Turbulence

Real LADEE Science Data

and Telemetry

Transmitted via LLCD

LLCD Accomplishments – Streaming

HD Video and Delivering Useful

Scientific Data from LADEE to Earth

LLCD’s Multiple Ground Terminals:

An International Collaboration

Lunar Lasercomm Ground

Terminal (LLGT)NASA, White Sands Complex

White Sands, NM

Optical Communications

Telescope Lab (OCTL) NASA/JPL,

Table Mountain Facility

Wrightwood, CA.

Optical Ground Station (OGS)

ESA, El TeideObservatoryTenerife, Spain

Geographic site diversity is required to reduce the likelihood that clouds will interrupt the link; it also allowed the opportunity to demonstrate international

interoperability while sharing the costs of the system of LLCD

OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS: 2017 AND BEYOND

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NASA’s Plan Forward for Near-Earth Relay Optical Missions: LCRD in GEO

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SCaN

Operated

Gen-1 OGS

SCaN

Operated

Gen-1 OGS

Operations Center

1.244 GbpsOptical ForwardAnd Return Link

Gen-1 GEO Optical Relay Terminal

Laser Communications RelayDemonstration (LCRD)

311 Mbps x 2 Return Links on RF

16 Mbps Forward Link on RF

Gen-1 Optical Ground Station

Orion EM-2

Up to 531 Mbps PPM Return Link

20 Mbps Forward Link

De

ep

Sp

ace

Ne

ar

Ea

rth

Gen-1 Optical User Terminal

1.244 Gbps Optical Return Link


GEO Relay and Ground 2019

1515

• Joint SCaN/NASA Space Tech Mission

• Hosted payload with AFRL/STP

• Two to eight years of mission ops

• Flight Payload

– Two LLCD-heritage Optical Modules and Controller Electronics Modules

– Two software-defined DPSK Modems with 2.88 Gbps data rate

– New High Speed Switching Unit to interconnect the two terminals

– RFI for “Guest Investigators” in 2015 revealed significant commercial interest

• Key for NASA’s Next-Gen Earth Relay in 2024 timeframe

Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD) on STPSat-6 for June 2019 Launch

LCRD Mission Architecture with SCaN-Provided Ground System, Directly

Integrated into NASA’s Space Network

STPSat-6 MissionOps Center

White Sands, NM

Table Mountain, CA

Optical Ground Station 1 (OGS-1)

LCRD Mission Ops Center (LMOC)

Hawaii

Remote LCRD Mission Ops Center (R-LMOC)

Optical Ground Station 2 (OGS-2)

LCRD Flight PayloadOn STPSat-6

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

LCRD Developed

OGS-X DevelopedJoint LCRD/OGS-X DevelopedSpace Network Developed

16White Sands, NM

Two Terminals at 1550 nm1.244 Gbps User Rate

Full Duplex (Bi-Directional)

LCRD Payload: All Modules now in Environmental Testing; Full Payload I&T Fall 2017

OPTICAL TEST TEAM

SHIM EDUElectrical Integration to Surrogate Plate

Optical Module #1Thermal Vacuum Testing

Optical Module #2Vibration Testing

Modem #1Vibration Testing

Segment 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

NEAR EARTH RELAY

SPACE

Gen-1 GEO Optical Relay TerminalLaser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD)

OVERVIEW

• Two GEO Relay Terminals based on LLCD Optical Module flown on LADEE with 2.88 Gbps DPSK Modems

• Connected by NASA’s first frame-layer switch in space (5 Gbps 8 x 8 switch fabric)

• Hosted payload on AFRL’s STPSat-6 for Jun ‘19 LRD

PROGRAM STATUS AND NEXT STEPS

• Passed CDR in December 2016

• Payload I&T began in March 2017

COMMERCIALIZATION

• Major modules (CE, SSU) and sub-components (OM, MRM) now commercially-available under FFP

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Optical Module (multiple vendors on

FFP contracts)

TRL 8

Complete

Multi-Rate Modem (vendors, GSFC)

TRL6

Complete

Controller Electronics

(Commercial FFP)

TRL6

Complete

Space Switching Unit(Commercial FFP)

TRL6

Complete

System Integration (GSFC)

In progressAll 2017

LCRD Technology Components Status

LCRD Launch


NASA’s Optical Plan Forward:User Terminals for LEO and the Moon

19

SCaN

Operated

Gen-1 OGS

SCaN

Operated

Gen-1 OGS

Operations Center

1.244 GbpsOptical ForwardAnd Return Link


Laser Communications RelayDemonstration (LCRD)

311 Mbps x 2 Return Links on RF

16 Mbps Forward Link on RF

Gen-1 Optical Ground Station

Orion EM-2

Up to 531 Mbps PPM Return Link


De

ep

Sp

ace

Ne

ar

Ea

rth


1.244 Gbps Optical Return Link


LEO User Terminal on ISS in 2021

• 2-axis gimbal with brushless torque motors

• Hemispherical field of regard

o +/- 175 degrees Azimuth

o +/- 120 degrees Elevation

• Slew rates of >10 degrees per second

• Off-axis telescope coupled to fixed small-optics bench via Coudé path

• Includes optional wide-angle beacon for acquisition and pseudostar MIRU for inertial stabilization

• ~13 kg total mass for 10 cm model

• Would develop 20 cm model for GEO terminals, including GEO crosslinks

ILLUMA-T Next Gen Optical Module:MIT-LL Design, Commercial Manufacture

710 cm Model for LEO Users

Segment 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

NEAR EARTH RELAY

SPACE

Gen-1 Optical User TerminalIntegrated LCRD LEO User Modem and Amplifier – Terminal (ILLUMA-T)

OVERVIEW

• Lower cost and SWaP User Terminal for LCRD (10.7 cm) with new 2.88 Gbps uncoded DPSK Modem and high power amplifier (3 W)

• Launch to JEM-EFU3 on ISS in April 2021

• Photon-counting modem required for Orion EM-2


• Begin I&T of EDU w/flight materials April 2017

• SRR for ISS mission, Orion EM-2 in August 2017

COMMERCIALIZATION

• Major modules (CE, Modem) and sub-components (OM, MRM) to be commercially-developed under FFP

• Full terminal to be competed in 2020 for commercial build of Qty. 5

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Next-Gen optical Terminal (NGT)

(Commercially Available)

TRL 5EDU I&T Apr

2017

Modem and HPOA(TBD, GSFC)

TRL 4RFP Released

May 2017

Controller Electronics (Commercially Available)

TRL 5 In Work

System Integration (MIT-LL)

ISS: Apr 2020EM-2: Jun 2019

ILLUMA-T Technology Components



The Key to Reducing SWaP and Cost:

Photonic Integrated Circuits

1 cm

For NASA, this means that optical systems for communications and sensors can be reduced in size, mass, and cost by >> 100x by leveraging this commercially-available technology (some customization may be required)

US Industry has commercialized “Integrated photonics” to allow many electro-optical components, even glass fibers, to be “squeezed down”…..

…into the optical equivalent of a micro-electronics “integrated circuit”

COTS Fiber Telecom Modem

..based on Integrated Photonics

NASA’s Next Gen Relay (2024) with 10G Users and 100G Crosslinks

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NASA’s Optical Plan Forward:Gen-2 GEO Optical Relay Terminal

OVERVIEW

• Gen 2 GEO Relay Terminal based on 20 cm NGT; Gen 2 User Terminal uses legacy Gen 1 10 cm NGT

• 10G or 100 Gbps COTS integrated photonics modems for User or Relay, respectively

• Consolidation of Controller Electronics into ILLUMA Modem Chassis

• On-board CODEC and Buffer


• Proposed optical payload for PPBE19 HEO Next Gen Relay Decision package

COMMERCIALIZATION

• Optical payload RFI release in 2017; all modules (20 cm NGT, 100G Modem, 10W HPOA) to be commercially-developed under FFP

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20 cm Next-Gen Terminal(Commercial RFP)

TRL 3RFI 2017RFP 2019

10G/100G Integrated Photonics Modem and

Controller(Commercial RFP)

TRL 4RFI 2019

10 W High Power Optical Amplifier for GEO Relay

(Commercial RFP)TRL 6

System Integration for Relay Optical Payload(GSFC or Commercial)

2023

Gen-2 GEO Relay Terminal Technology

Segment 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

NEAR EARTH RELAY

SPACE

GROUND Gen-1 OGS

Gen-1 Optical User TerminalGen-1 GEO Optical

Relay Terminal

Gen-2 Optical User TerminalGen-2 GEO Optical

Relay Terminal

NASA’s Optical Plan Forward: Ultra-High Data Rate LEO Direct-to-Earth (DTE)

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SCaN

Operated

Gen-1 OGS

SCaN

Operated

Gen-1 OGS

Operations Center

Dee

p S

pac

eN

ear

Eart

h

Low-Cost OpticalGround Station

Mission

Operated

LC-OGS

Mission

Data

Storage

Mission

Operated

LC-OGS

Mission Users in LEO with High DataVolumes: Total Return > 56 Tb/day

200G DTE Optical User Terminal

Up to 200 Gbps Optical ReturnLink in 1.9U Volume

Near-Earth LEO Ultra-High RateDTE Technologies

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Technology Overview Commercialization Next Steps


• Low cost and SWaP (1.9U) terminal with 2 x 100 Gbps integrated photonics modems and integrated fast 2.5 TB solid state data buffer for mission

Propose commercial

services implementation;

release AFP in FY19 following

Pathfinder flight demo to develop

3rd party hardware and

service provider(via CRADA for user terminal)

• modem and memory TRL 6 after GEVS and radiation tests to 7-year LEO dose

• Collaborating with STMD for flight on Pathfinder 6U cubesat in 2019

DTE Low CostOptical Ground

Station

• For low-cost support of 200G LEO DTE link by small, high-end “amateur” grade telescopes, tracking mounts and Software

• Primary mission-specific OGS would be placed at cloud data storage facility; eliminates data backhaul while delivering 60 Tb/day total data volume to mission

• Includes 2x100G modem Rx, ground data buffer & atmospheric correction system

• In early development

• Pathfinder 200G DTE support provided by Gen-1 OGS (OCTL at JPL)

Segment 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

NEAR-EARTH DTE

SPACE

GROUND


DTE Low Cost Optical Ground Station (LEO Only)

NEAR-EARTH DTE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS

3 – 4′

EnvironmentalEnclosure

Telescope

1.9U CubeSat Demo

NASA’s Optical Plan Forward: Deep Space Optical Communications

27

DSOC

Gen-1 OGS Operations Center

Dee

p S

pac

eN

ear

Ear

th

DSOC Gen-1 Optical User Terminal

DSOC on Psyche Asteroid Mission 2023125 Mbps from 40M km

DSOC Gen-1 Optical Ground Station

Deep Space DTE Technologies

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Technology Overview Commercialization Next Steps

DSOCGen-1 OpticalGroundStation

• Lease of 5 meter Palomar telescope with photon-counting SNDA detectors

• CCSDS “High Photon Efficiency” standard compliant system for International cross support

Major modules (controller electronics, space switch unit) and

sub-components (optical module,

multi-rate modem) now commercially-available under FFP

CCSDS HPE-standard compliant DSOC Gen-1 OGS funded by HEOMD/SCaN for 2023 ORR

DSOCGen-1 OpticalUserTerminal

• 22 cm aperture terminal, ~ 36 kg 100W, Max 531 Mbps

• CCSDS “High Photon Efficiency” standard compliant system for International cross support

DSOC Gen-1 user terminal funded by STMD/TDM for launch on Discovery 2023 to asteroid Psyche

Segment 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

DEEP SPACE DTE

SPACE

GROUND

DSOC Gen-1 User Terminal

DSOC Gen-1 OGS

DEEP SPACE DTE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS

DSOC Flight Laser

Terminal

Ground-Based5 kW Uplink Laser Array

NASA’s Plan for Optical Infusion:…to “GFE” User Terminals to Missions

THE PLAN

• Apply STMD & SCaN optical communication technology investment to Science & Exploration missions to transition optical communications to operations

• SCaN provides GFE terminals to NASA missions for direct or relayed services

• STMD & SCaN provide optical relay & ground stations to return mission data to mission users

200G DTEUser Terminal

Build Quantity: 5

GFE starting in 2021

Gen-1 OpticalUser Terminal

Build Quantity: 5

GFE starting in 2023

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FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024 FY2025 FY2026 FY2027

GEO

LEO

Lunar

Deep Space

Near-Earth Relay

Near-Earth DTE

Deep Space DTE

Technology Demo

Technology Demo

ASCENDS

EM-2

JPSS-3 STP-06EVM-3

GOES-U GOES-V

GFE’d Gen-2 Optical UserTerminal

TARGET FUTURE MISSIONS ExplorationScience

29DSOC Technology Demo

LANDSAT-9

GFE’d 200G DTE Optical User Terminal

PACE

EM-3

Discovery/Psyche

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Commercial workshop attendees:

Facebook Connectivity Lab

Google X (Loon)

AT&T

BridgeSat

LaserLight Communications

L-3 CSW

Fibertek

And 20 other companies….

Interoperability Issues for Consideration:

Link scenarios/applications • Leveraging of

Existing standards (e.g., OTN, DVB-S2) •

Wavelength(s) • Acquisition • Modulation • Channel clock • Channel rate variation • Data

link layer interface • Channel coding,

interleaving, and Q-repetition • Physical layer

framing • Interface Control Documents (ICDs) •

Interoperability agreements

Commercial Workshopheld at NASA HQWeds, July 12th, 2017

NASA’s Open Call for Commercial Collaboration in Laser Communications

“NASA is soliciting proposals from all interested U.S. private sector enterprises that wish to enter into partnerships through Reimbursable Space Act Agreements to develop a Partnership for Commercial Optical Communication Systems (PCOCS).”

• Possible Collaborations:– LCRD Guest Investigator Program– Collaborative technology development and flight demonstrations– Access to NASA’s resources including technical expertise, assessments, lessons

learned, and also cross-support for initial demonstrations of commercial systems (e.g., optical ground station support) 31

CLOSES on 12/31/2017

Questions?

Please feel free to contact me at:

Don Cornwell

NASA Headquarters SCaN Program

[email protected]

202-358-0570

410-336-2473 (cell)

mailto:[email protected]