Application of adaptive optics to a Moon-to-Earth optical data link

The anticipated return to the Moon will require high bandwidth communications support for both manned and unmanned operations. This is especially true in down links from the Moon to the Earth that will consist of both data and images from multiple sources. An optical data link consisting of a 1 Watt laser on the Moon, transmitted through a 1 meter aperture and received on the Earth by a 1 meter aperture (at 830 nm), will produce a net positive link margin. Adaptive optics can be used to negate atmospheric effects, within limits. Alternately, optical reception can be affected in Earth orbit. The tradeoffs between these two approaches are considered in terms of implementation complexity and link availability. The Moon-based optical transmitter, despite the rigors of the lunar environment, is actually the simplest component of the link