Navy eyes free-space laser communications for fast wireless data

摘要

U.S. Navy communications experts are reaching out to industry to find companies able to develop laser communications systems that can maintain communications links from stationary or moving laser transmitters and receivers. Officials of the Naval Information Warfare Center-Atlantic (NIWC-Atlantic) in North Charleston, S.C, have issued a request for information (N65236_SNOTE_00746AD9) for the Free Space Optics Communications project. Free-space optical communications uses a light source - typically a laser - propagating in free space to transmit wireless data for telecommunications or computer networking. Free space means air, outer space, vacuum, or something similar, and does not use solids such as optical fiber cable.