NASA Downloads the Future

  • Released Wednesday, August 28, 2013
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LLCD will be NASA's first-step in creating a high performance space-based laser communications system. The LLCD mission consists of space-based and ground-based components. The Lunar Laser Space Terminal (LLST) is an optical communications test payload to fly aboard the LADEE Spacecraft and it will demonstrate laser communications from lunar orbit.The ground segment consists of three ground terminals that will perform high-rate communication with the LLST aboard LADEE. The primary ground terminal, the Lunar Laser Ground Terminal (LLGT) is located in White Sands, NM and was developed by MIT/Lincoln Laboratory and NASA. The ground segment also includes two secondary terminals located at NASA/JPL's Table Mountain Facility in California and the European Space Agency's El Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Spain. The main goal of LLCD is proving fundamental concepts of laser communications and transferring data at a rate of 622 megabits per second (Mbps), which is about five times the current state-of-the-art from lunar distances. Engineers expect future space missions to benefit greatly from the use of laser communications technology. To learn more about laser communications and the LLCD mission please click here.

LLCD, the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration, will hitch a ride aboard LADEE to lunar orbit. Using a small and lightweight telescope, LLCD will transmit hundreds of millions of laser pulses each second to one of three stations on the Earth…..

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On December 24, 1968, Apollo 8 captured the historic photo known as “Earthrise”. However, it would take several days for the rest of the world to see this awe-inspiring image.

Together LLCD and LADEE will take the next step in expanding NASA’s space communication capabilities while renewing our sense of discovery about the Moon and the universe.

A close up of LLCD, pointing at the Earth.

To begin data transmission, the space and ground terminals must first locate each other. This process begins when the ground terminal scans LADEE’s path to illuminate the spacecraft.

In the future NASA could download finer images, hundreds of 3-D HD video streams, and could even one day enable “telepresence” at the Moon and beyond for human explorers still on Earth.

LADEE Beauty Pass

Credits

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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Wednesday, August 28, 2013.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:51 PM EDT.

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  • LLCD: NASA Downloads the Future (ID: 2013071)
    Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at 4:00AM
    Produced by - Werner Benger (NASA)