Key Design Issues in Uplink Deep Space Optical Communications

Deep space missions (from the Moon and beyond) are significantly growing, making reliable optical communication crucial. Recently, NASA Psyche mission achieved deep space optical communication (DSOC), with 267 Mb/s in downlink at 0.37 AU distance [1]. However, this is achievable only by using both a 5-meter receiving telescope and a sophisticated detection system, only in downlink to Earth. In uplink, well-known effects by the atmosphere give much larger penalties, resulting in ~1.8 kb/s bit rate. This is a key challenge for more symmetrical communications, e.g. those needed by humans or robots.