Overview
MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MITLL) occupies 75 acres (20 acres of which are MIT property) on the eastern perimeter of Hanscom Air Force Base, which is at the nexus of Lexington, Bedford, Lincoln, and Concord, Massachusetts. The laboratory specializes in the research and development of a broad array of advanced technologies with a focus on building operational prototypes of the unique systems they design. The laboratory has worked on many projects including fabricating the ground and space terminals that enabled the world’s fastest download rate from a NASA satellite orbiting the moon; creating the first dual-band radar which is also the highest-resolution, long-range imaging sensor in the world; and building the highest brightness beam-combining laser ever recorded. MITLL projects are usually generally focused on defending against missile threats, providing secure communications, monitoring activity in space, and even inventing biomedical devices. [1]
OPTICAL ENGINEERING
The optical engineering department at MITLL is a state-of-the-art facility where they develop optical system prototypes for airborne, space-borne, and terrestrial applications. The staff is involved in all stages of system development and has experience collaborating with many other departments in order to fulfill their goals. Some of their optical engineering projects include satellite-based passive imaging sensors, space-based and ground-based laser communications systems, airborne laser radars, high energy laser systems, and imaging systems on both manned and unmanned aircraft. [2]
Related Links
MIT: Laser Communication with CubeSats
Paper: Long-Range Free-Space Optical Communication Research Challenges