| Name | LINCS (Laser Interconnet & Communications System) |
|---|---|
| Type | CubeSat |
| Units or mass | 12U |
| Organization | Space Development Agency |
| Institution | Military |
| Entity | Government (Civil / Military) |
| Nation | US |
| Manufacturer | AIVT by General Atomics |
| Operator | General Atomics |
| Oneliner |
Optical communications terminals that use lasers to beam data across space. |
| Description |
Optical communications terminals that use lasers to beam data across space will be tested in upcoming experiments by the Space Development Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. These terminals are important pieces of DoD’s future low Earth orbit constellations which will require satellite-to-satellite optical crosslinks so data collected in space can be immediately sent to military command centers on the ground. Laser communications systems have much faster data transmission rates than radio-based systems but DoD has concerns such as the effects of space radiation on optical terminals and whether the electronics can withstand the stress of space launch. |
| Results |
SDA said in a statement Feb. 4 that there were “challenges communicating with the LINCS sats. |
| Sources | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
| Photo sources | [1] [2] |
| Keywords | Laser transmitter |
Related Spacecraft
| Spacecraft | Status | Launcher | Launch date | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LINCS1 A (Laser Interconnet & Communications System) | Reentry 2025-03-13. No signal? (SpaceNews article on 2022-02-06, but mixed messages about whether some contact was initially established) | Falcon 9, (Transporter-2) | 2021-06-30 | 525 km, 97.5 deg |
| LINCS2 B (Laser Interconnet & Communications System) | No signal? (SpaceNews article on 2022-02-06, but mixed messages about whether some contact was initially established) | Falcon 9, (Transporter-2) | 2021-06-30 | 525 km, 97.5 deg |
Last modified: 2025-04-25
