THE CUBESAT LASER INFRARED CROSSLINK MISSION WILL IMPROVE CROSSLINK COMMUNICATION DATA RATES FOR CUBESATS TO ENABLE NASA MISSIONS THAT INVOLVE CONSTELLATIONS OR SWARMS OF CUBESATS. EACH OF THE CUBESATS IN A CONSTELLATION OR SWARM MISSION CARRIES ONE OR MORE MODERATE TO HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGING OR SCIENTIFIC SENSORS. THE CONSTELLATION OR SWARM TYPICALLY CONSISTS OF SEVERAL TO DOZENS OF CUBESATS IN COORDINATED POTENTIALLY AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS TO IMPROVE GEOSPATIAL COVERAGE AND REVISIT TIMES. SOME OPERATIONAL SCENARIOS MAY USE CUBESATS ALL WITH IDENTICAL FUNCTIONALITY OR THEY MAY BE ORGANIZED WITH SENSING UNITS THAT TRANSMIT DATA FROM TO A MASTER COMMUNICATIONS NODE.