Overview
CACI International [1] collaborated with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) [2] to develop an Optical Wireless (OW) laser-based communications system with the capability of reaching long distances for deep space exploration. This OW laser-based communication system will be used on the Psyche Spacecraft which will land on the Psyche Asteroid in hopes of understanding planetary core and solar system origins. OW Laser-based communication systems are becoming the standard for deep space communications because they allow for faster data transfer at rates of 100 times faster than conventional radio frequencies.
CACI developed a laser-based communications system that has the capabilities of transmitting information well over 200 milli0n miles. In November of 2020, CACI gave JPL its first model of the communication system that passed a specific space qualification test such as take-off and space flight. CACI is also working on communication systems for five other NASA missions.