Space laser communication systems are very attractive for high-data-rate satellite communications. This year, it is a great honor to hold the International Conference on Space Optical Systems and Applications 2012 (ICSOS 2012) as the Joint Conference of the ICSO 2012 (International Conference on Space Optics) and the ICSOS 2012. On behalf of the organizing committee of ICSOS, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the organizing committee of ICSO and my warmest welcome to all the participants in our joint conference.

ICSOS is held at Asia, US, and Europe, and deals with free-space optical systems, especially for laser communications including terrestrial, near-Earth and deep space areas. ICSO covers the general area for space optics; however ICSO is held in Europe only. Thus, it is really worthwhile to collaborate with each other globally between ICSOS and ICSO. The joint conference will provide a forum for the exchange of information with emphasis on new developments, services and applications in each field. It is a great opportunity to share the latest presentations from the other countries and discuss with your research colleagues and professionals.

The venue is located at one of the nicest spots in France. The organizing committee looks forward to seeing you in the conference, and making your visit a memorable and enjoyable one in Corsica.

Naoto Kadowaki

Chair of ICSOS 2012 Organizing Committee