Balloon Lasercom Terminal

Relative Dynamics Inc. (RD) will develop a Balloon Lasercom Terminal (BaLT) with the capabilities required in NASA Subtopic S16.04: High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) Capability Demonstration and SCOPE Title: Scope Title: Free-Space Optical Communications for a Stratospheric Balloon Platform. In Phase II, RD will develop both a Balloon Lasercom Terminal (BaLT) and a low-cost compatible Ground Lasercom Terminal (GroLT). An optical communication terminal has three major subsystems: gimballed telescope, modem and controller. To keep SWaP-C at a minimum the essential innovation is to leverage commercial parts for each subsystem. The key innovations for BaLT are: Lightweight gyro-stabilized UAV/drone gimbal Phase I effort will examine the trades between functionality, power, and cost in the design of an optical communication terminal suitable for NASA scientific balloon missions. Our preliminary investigation has led us to high-pointing-precision candidate gimbals. We will further investigate these commercial UAV/drone gimbals in Phase I. Internet/telecommunications modem RD has multi-year experience designing, building, and testing free-space optical communication terminals with commercial internet/telecommunications transceivers and optical amplifiers. Integrated-photonic Telcordia-qualified telecommunication transceivers provide a high-performance (multi-Gbps data rate), direct Ethernet compatibility robust, low size, weight, power at low-cost for commercial high-altitude-platform modems. In Phase 1, we will examine the trade space. Advantages of commercial transceivers include high-reliability, military-grade temperature range, flexible wavelength, flexible data rates and flexible data format compatibility, System-on-chip controllers with built-in optical transceiver capability RD has multi-year experience designing, building, and testing free-space optical communication terminals with commercial low-cost System-on-Chip controllers/computers.

RD BaLT provides a unique low SWaP-C free-space-optical communication system for NASA high-altitude-platform (e.g., balloon) science missions. With additional technology leverage, the BaLT concept could be scaled to a NASA lunar or Mars lander communication system either for direct lander-to-earth (from the Moon) or for lander-to-orbiter for the Moon or Mars. NASA formation flying satellite missions are another application for the BaLT system. RD BaLT provides a unique low SWaP-C free-space-optical communication system that can scale from UAV to high-altitude-platforms, satellite and space applications. RD will provide a range of products based on cost/performance trades for the UAV and HAP markets. Small drones are useful for direct communication to police, search-and-rescue, and military personnel particularly in hard-to-access remote and third-world locations. This will fill a market niche that will expand to HAP telecommunications services.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — 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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