Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science

Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) is a <a href="/facts/Spacecraft/YQqQaUw0">spacecraft communication instrument</a> developed at the <a href="/facts/Jet_Propulsion_Laboratory/zPXnxRBf">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> that was tested on the <a href="/facts/International_Space_Station/VNPUBz9m">International Space Station (ISS)</a> from 18 April 2014 to 17 July 2014 to demonstrate the technology for <a href="/facts/Laser_communication_in_space/eIw98gxF">laser communications</a> systems between spacecraft and ground stations.
The purpose of OPALS is to do research into replacing traditional <a href="/facts/Radio_frequency/aWku7h4R">radio-frequency (RF) communications</a> which are currently used on spacecraft. This will allow spacecraft to increase the rate at which data is downlinked by 10 to 100 times. It also will have less error than RF communication.
It launched from <a href="/facts/Cape_Canaveral_Air_Force_Station/dwJ9MCPH">Cape Canaveral</a> to the ISS on 18 April 2014 on a <a href="/facts/Falcon_9/mNck6vby">Falcon 9</a> <a href="/facts/SpaceX_CRS-3/sgRjrxCd">SpaceX CRS-3</a> <a href="/facts/Dragon_capsule/oduVLMWr">Dragon capsule</a> resupply.
The experiment used commercial products rather than space qualified components.

Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science open-in-new

Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science