Method of establishing communication for sub-ice submarine missions between a sub-ice vessel and a terrestrial facility using a laser-powered ice-penetrating communications delivery vehicle

A method of establishing communication between a sub-ice vessel and a terrestrial facility, said method comprising the steps of:

• releasing a communications payload delivery vehicle from said sub-ice vessel, said communications payload delivery vehicle having buoyancy, and wherein said communications payload delivery vehicle comprises:
• a housing;
• an optics bay within said housing and containing beam optics;
• a laser housed within said optics bay and having divergent optics configured for impingement of a laser beam directly on ice;
• a payload bay within said housing and in optical communication with said optics bay and said divergent optics;
• a payload within said payload bay;
• an electronics bay within said housing and in optical communication with said optics bay, said divergent optics and said payload bay;
• electronics within said electronics bay;
• a power source within said housing and in optical communication with said optics bay, said divergent optics, said payload bay and said electronics bay;
• and
• at least one fiber optic cable in optical communication with said power source, said optics bay, said divergent optics, said payload bay and said electronics bay;
• ascending from said sub-ice vessel until contact is made with the subsurface of an ice mass;
• boring through said ice mass creating a borehole through said ice mass;
• continuing to ascend within said borehole formed until said buoyancy of said communications payload delivery vehicle is not sufficient to further advance said communications payload delivery vehicle toward a top surface of said ice mass;
• anchoring to the interior of said borehole formed;
• melting remaining portion of said ice mass;
• and
• establishing communications with at least one external communication device;
• wherein said communications are high bandwidth and bi-directional.