OCTL

The Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) is a state-of-the-art optical communications ground terminal currently being built by the JPL Telecommunications and Mission Operations Directorate Program office. It supports bi-directional optical links and enable NASA telecommunications researchers to investigate and develop strategies for reliable high bandwidth optical communications with spacecraft. Construction on the OCTL building was completed in November 1999, and the 1-m coude-focus telescope is to be delivered and installed by Brashear-LP of Pittsburgh during the summer of 2001. The telescope is designed for precision pointing and tracking (< 2 arcsec rms) of LEO and deep space targets.