Citation
Abstract
Uplink optical communication to a deep-space vehicle has been demonstrated. In the Galileo Optical Experiment (GOPEX), optical transmissions were beamed to the Galileo spacecraft by Earth-based transmitters at the Table Mountain Facility (TMF), California, and Starfire Optical Range (SOR), New Mexico. The demonstration took place over an eight-day period (December 9 through December 16, 1992) as Galileo receded from Earth on its way to Jupiter, and covered ranges from 1-6 million km. At 6 million km (15 times the Earth-Moon distance), the laser beam transmitted from TMF eight days after Earth flyby covered the longest known range for transmission and detection.
Details
- Volume
- 42-114
- Published
- August 15, 1993
- Pages
- 1–13
- File Size
- 571.2 KB