The demonstration of interoperability of the deep-space optical ground demonstration infrastructures of the two space agencies, NASA and ESA, will reinforce optical communication for the use case of fast deep-space data return. The operational experience gained by this joint demonstration will enable future mission designers to efficiently trade the option of using optical communication as data-return vehicle for upcoming deep-space missions. ESA is investigating potential mission scenarios at Mars for which this technology demonstration and validation is considered essential. In this paper ESA's ground demonstration infrastructure for optical data return from the Psyche mission is outlined. The deep-space mission to the asteroid Psyche will host a technology demonstration payload, the Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) system, developed by NASA. The mission’s objective is to investigate the asteroid and its unique metallic surface. In addition to its primary objective, the mission will demonstrate an optical communication link between the spacecraft and earth with a separation of up to 2.5 AU. Here we provide link budget calculations for the data up- and the data downlink. Optical communication has the potential to deliver 10- to 100 times higher data rate compared to radio frequency, at lower size, weight and power consumption.
ESA ground infrastructure for the NASA/JPL PSYCHE Deep-Space Optical Communication demonstration
International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2022 ; 2022 ; Dubrovnik, Croatia
Proc. SPIE ; 12777
12.07.2023
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
ESA ground infrastructure for the NASA/JPL PSYCHE Deep-Space Optical Communication demonstration
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