chapter 1 Introduction -- chapter 2 Systems Engineering and Design Drivers -- chapter 3 Pointing, Acquisition, and Tracking -- chapter 4 Laser Transmitters: Coherent and Direct Detections -- chapter 5 Flight Optomechanical Assembly -- chapter 6 Coding and Modulation for Free-Space Optical Communications -- chapter 7 Photodetectors and Receivers -- chapter 8 Atmospheric Channel -- chapter 9 Optical Ground Station: Requirements and Design, Bidirectional Link Model and Performance -- chapter 10 Reliability and Flight Qualifi cation / chapter 11 Optical Satellite Networking: The Concept of a Global Satellite Optical Transport Network -- chapter 12 Future Directions.