Comparative study of optical and rf communication systems for a Mars mission

Hamid Hemmati; Keith E. Wilson; Miles Sue; Daniel L. Rascoe; F. Lansing; Michael D. Wilhelm; L. Harcke; Che Jen Chen

doi:10.1117/12.238410

22 April 1996 Comparative study of optical and rf communication systems for a Mars mission

Hamid Hemmati, Keith E. Wilson, Miles Sue, Daniel L. Rascoe, F. Lansing, Michael D. Wilhelm, L. Harcke, Che Jen Chen

Proceedings Volume 2699, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies VIII; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.238410
Event: Photonics West '96, 1996, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

We have performed a study on telecommunication systems for a hypothetical mission to Mars. The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the benefits that microwave (X-band and K_a-band) and optical communications technologies afford to future missions. The telecommunication systems were required to return data after launch and in-orbit at 2.7 AU with daily data volumes of 0.1, 1, or 10 Gbits. Space-borne terminals capable of delivering each of the three data rates were proposed and characterized in terms of mass, power consumption, size, and cost. The estimated parameters for X-band, Ka-band, and optical frequencies are compared and presented here. For data volumes of 0.1 and 1 Giga-bit per day, the X-band downlink system has a mass 1.5 times that of Ka-band, and 2.5 times that of optical system. Ka-band offered about 20% power saving at 10 Gbit/day over X-band. For all data volumes, the optical communication terminals were lower in mass than the rf terminals. For data volumes of 1 and 10 Gb/day, the space-borne optical terminal also had a lower required dc power. In all three cases, optical communications had a slightly higher development cost for the space terminal.

Citation Download Citation

Hamid Hemmati, Keith E. Wilson, Miles Sue, Daniel L. Rascoe, F. Lansing, Michael D. Wilhelm, L. Harcke, and Che Jen Chen "Comparative study of optical and rf communication systems for a Mars mission", Proc. SPIE 2699, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies VIII, (22 April 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.238410

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