Lunar Inter-Spacecraft Optical Communicator

Based on our successful Phase 1 studies, we are proposing the construction and fully testing of an inter-spacecraft omnidirectional optical communicator (ISOC) that will provide fast connectivity and navigation information to small spacecraft forming a swarm or a constellation in cislunar space. The ISOC proposed for cislunar applications operates at 1550 nm, employs a dodecahedron body holding 6 optical telescopes and 20 external arrays of detectors for angle-of-arrival determination. The proposed ISOC will provide full sky (4 steradian) coverage and gigabit connectivity among smallsats forming a swarm or constellation. It will also provide continuous positional information among these spacecraft including bearing, elevation, and range. We also expect the ISOC to provide fast low-latency connectivity to assets on the surface of the moon such as landers, rovers, instruments, and astronauts. During Phase 2 we propose to build and fully-test a lunar ISOC including all its transceivers, optics and processing units. We will also perform outdoor testing of the resulting ISOC to verify its key capabilities. We believe the ISOC, once fully developed, will provide commercial, high data rate connectivity to future scientific, military, and commercial missions around cislunar space and beyond. We are proposing the development of an inter-spacecraft omnidirectional optical communicator (ISOC) that will provide fast connectivity and navigation information to small spacecraft forming a swarm or a constellation in cislunar space. The ISOC operates at 1550nm and employs a dodecahedron body holding 6 optical telescopes and 20 external detector arrays for angle-of-arrival (AoA) determination. It will be suitable for distances ranging from a few kilometers to a few thousand kilometers. We also expect the ISOC to provide fast low-latency connectivity to assets on the surface of the moon. The primary objective of the Phase II research will be to successfully construct and test the lunar ISOC concept that was designed in Phase I. The Phase II work will consist of building the various ISOC parts, developing the required software and fully test 2 ISOCs on the ground. With the full tests performed during Phase II we plan to pursue (in collaboration with our partners) Phase II-E and CCRPP efforts to develop ISOC flight models and to fly ISOC in a cislunar technical demonstration mission. Specific Phase I objectives are:    Design and fabricate structural ISOC body. Design, fabricate and test ranging board. Design, fabricate, assemble and test six ISOC transceivers. Implement processing unit including FPGA, mixed-signal board. Fully develop processing software. Assemble entire system together and fully test system in the lab. Outdoor testing of two ISOCs to demonstrate ISOC’s capabilities  Perform a conceptual design for a flight model of the lunar ISOC.   Proposed Deliverables In Phase II we are proposing the construction and testing of 2 lunar ISOC prototypes. The Phase II deliverables are: Completion of 6 fully tested  ISOC transceivers Successful completion of software module development Two laboratory-tested ISOCs Successful outdoor testing with two ISOCs demonstrating AoA and multiple-link capabilities Completion of conceptual design of lunar ISOC flight model   

The proposed ISOC will allow unparalleled ultrafast wireless data transfer for many space applications. NASA applications include short range inter satellite communications such as formation flying and constellations of spacecraft (e.g., LunaNet). It should also provide fast connectivity  to landers, rovers, instruments and astronauts.   Commercial development of space is imminent. A key opportunity is to use space to provide internet services across the globe.  There are 7.9B people on Earth from which 3.7B (47%) have no internet access. We believe that, once fully developed, the ISOC should be able to provide a viable solution to the global connectivity market.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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