Acquisition And Tracking System For A Ground-Based Laser Communications Receiver Terminal

Ernest S. Clarke; Harley D. Brixey

doi:10.1117/12.932419

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21 December 1981 Acquisition And Tracking System For A Ground-Based Laser Communications Receiver Terminal

Ernest S. Clarke, Harley D. Brixey

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Proceedings Volume 0295, Control and Communication Technology in Laser Systems; (1981) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.932419
Event: 25th Annual Technical Symposium, 1981, San Diego, United States

Abstract

In December 1980, the Air Force Space Division Lasercom office completed field evaluation of 1 Gbps space laser communications system in an air-to-ground flight test program at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. A ground-based brassboard receiver terminal performed the functions of acquisition and tracking, beacon beam pointing, optical data reception at 1 Gbps, and optical data transmission at 20 kbps. The ground terminal is described from an acquisition and tracking viewpoint. The design of fast-steering pointing and tracking inner loops coupled with slower gimbal outer loops is discussed. Results of the recent field evaluation in terms of acquisition times and tracking accuracy are presented.

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Ernest S. Clarke and Harley D. Brixey "Acquisition And Tracking System For A Ground-Based Laser Communications Receiver Terminal", Proc. SPIE 0295, Control and Communication Technology in Laser Systems, (21 December 1981); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.932419

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