Bryan S. Robinson

Dr. Bryan S Robinson leads the Optical and Quantum Communications Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, which develops laser communications technology and systems for a variety of applications, including terrestrial, space, undersea, and quantum communications. Robinson was the lead systems engineer for the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD), where he helped architect the laser communication system, oversaw development of the space and ground terminals, and led the system operations for NASA’s first successful demonstration of high-rate laser communications from space. The laser terminal technology developed for LLCD has since become the basis for NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, developed by the Goddard Space Flight Center in coordination with Lincoln Laboratory and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. After the success of LLCD, Robinson and his team worked to evolve the terminal technology for other potential applications such as links between a low-Earth-orbiting spacecraft and a relay in geosynchronous orbit. Today, he leads efforts to deploy that new terminal design on two crewed spaceflight missions — an International Space Station mission and the upcoming Orion Artemis II mission, both of which are part of NASA’s Laser Enhanced Mission Communications, Navigation, and Operational Services development effort. His technical expertise and interests include systems engineering, space communications, optical communications, electro-optics, and nonlinear optics.

Robinson holds BS degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics, and MA and PhD degrees in electrical engineering and computer science, all from MIT. He is a fellow of Optica (formerly Optical Society of America).