The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface, and environmental influences on lunar dust. Space Communications and Navigation’s (SCaN) Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) onboard LADEE consists of a space terminal on the LADEE spacecraft and three ground terminals on Earth (one in California, one in New Mexico and one in Spain). Together, they will seek to demonstrate that it is possible to transfer up to 622 megabits per second (Mbps) of data via laser from the Moon with a space terminal that weighs less, uses less power, and occupies less space than a comparable Radio Frequency (RF) system.
LADEE was successfully launched on September 6 at 11:27 pm onboard Orbital Science’s Minotaur V rocket from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. After the spacecraft is checked out, a series of LLCD experiments is expected to begin in mid-October. If the experiments are successful, LADEE may attempt to use laser communications for science data transfer during part of its lunar mission.