LDES: a prototype array optical receiver for the Mars laser communications demonstration program

In 2009, NASA will launch an optical communications payload to Mars capable of supporting data rates of 1 to 30 Megabits per second. A key element of the Mars laser communications demonstration (MLCD) project is the development of a distributed optical receiver array known as LDES: link development and evaluation system. This paper describes the LDES system, discusses the key technical challenges in its implementation, and shows the performance of hardware developed for the receiver system.