Theever-increasingdemandfordatafromplanetaryprobespacecraftispushingthefrequencyoftelecommunicationsfromradiofrequency(RF)bandstotheopticalandnear-infraredregime.SuchatransitionoffersthepotentialtoincreasedataratesbyonetotwoordersofmagnitudeoverconventionalRFlinks.EarlyNASAspacecraft