In-Silico: In-Space Deposition of Laser Communication Optical Coatings

The Department of Defense requires the ability to affordably and prolifically fabricate large optical space apertures for next generation space remote sensing, space situational awareness, and optical space communications. For over 60 years the DoD has developed optical space assets with apertures that are constrained to the volume of launch vehicle fairings and coatings whose performance is degraded due to the terrestrial fabrication process. Lunar Resources, Inc., the corporate spin-out of NASA’s Wake Shield Facility Program and technology leader in in-space vacuum vapor deposition technology aims to leverage +15 years of government and private industry investment into in-space deposition technology to develop a bifurcated future DoD architecture where large optical apertures with greater material reflectivity, higher optical coating quality, and lower coating attenuations are manufactured on-orbit to take advantage of the natural space environment. Lunar Resources Phase I Special Topic SBIR aims to deliver a feasibility study demonstrating the revolutionary change and feasibility of depositing optical coatings onto robotically assembled substrates in the vacuum of space to enable a new supply chain architecture to design, manufacture and restore space optical apertures for USAF/DoD laser communication space platforms.