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C. D. Edwards is a pioneering architect of interplanetary communications, whose work has been instrumental in enabling robotic and future human exploration of Mars. His research focuses on developing the telecommunications infrastructure—from relay networks to orbital architectures—that transforms how data is returned from deep space. Edwards’s major contributions include designing the Martian Telecommunications Network that supported the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) in 2004, a landmark achievement where orbiters like Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey provided critical UHF relay services, significantly increasing data return. His 2007 paper on key telecommunications technologies for increasing data return from Mars (24 citations) and his 2005 integrated network architecture for sustained human and robotic exploration (19 citations) have shaped NASA’s strategic planning. Edwards also advanced concepts for small areostationary orbiters for the 2020s (11 citations) and explored Internet technologies for space-based communications, addressing challenges of delay-tolerant networking. His work has laid the groundwork for the robust, high-rate relay systems needed for future human missions, making him a central figure in the evolution of deep-space communication networks.