Advances and Future Directions in Deep Space Laser Communication

Abstract

Exploring deep space is paramount to humanity in exploring the more distant universe, providing a core value for human survival and future development. With the expansion of deep-space exploration, traditional radio frequency (RF) communication faces bottlenecks such as limited bandwidth, high power consumption, and vulnerability to interference, restricting missions like crewed Mars expeditions and outer planetary exploration. Consequently, this review aims to systematically analyze the development of deep-space laser communication, clarify its advantages over RF technology, and prospect its future directions, thereby providing a comprehensive reference for advancing next-generation deep-space communication systems. The study integrates global research progress to achieve this objective, including historical milestones, key technological breakthroughs, and comparative laser and RF communication analyses. Specifically, data is sourced from authoritative project reports, experimental results, and academic literature to ensure comprehensiveness and reliability. This synthesis shows that deep laser communication has significant advantages: it achieves lightweight terminals, strong anti-interference ability, and high security. This review confirms that laser communication is a critical technology that can break through RF limitations. Its development trajectory and future directions lay a foundation for high-speed, reliable deep-space communication, ultimately accelerating humanity’s exploration of the solar system and beyond.