A multi-rate DPSK modem for free-space laser communications

N. W. Spellmeyer; C. A. Browne; D. O. Caplan; J. J. Carney; M. L. Chavez; A. S. Fletcher; J. J. Fitzgerald; R. D. Kaminsky; G. Lund; S. A. Hamilton; R. J. Magliocco; O. V. Mikulina; R. J. Murphy; H. G. Rao; M. S. Scheinbart; M. M. Seaver; J. P. Wang

doi:10.1117/12.2057568

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25 March 2014 A multi-rate DPSK modem for free-space laser communications

N. W. Spellmeyer, C. A. Browne, D. O. Caplan, J. J. Carney, M. L. Chavez, A. S. Fletcher, J. J. Fitzgerald, R. D. Kaminsky, G. Lund, S. A. Hamilton, R. J. Magliocco, O. V. Mikulina, R. J. Murphy, H. G. Rao, M. S. Scheinbart, M. M. Seaver, J. P. Wang

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Proceedings Volume 8971, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVI; 89710J (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057568
Event: SPIE LASE, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The multi-rate DPSK format, which enables efficient free-space laser communications over a wide range of data rates, is finding applications in NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration. We discuss the design and testing of an efficient and robust multi-rate DPSK modem, including aspects of the electrical, mechanical, thermal, and optical design. The modem includes an optically preamplified receiver, an 0.5-W average power transmitter, a LEON3 rad-hard microcontroller that provides the command and telemetry interface and supervisory control, and a Xilinx Virtex-5 radhard reprogrammable FPGA that both supports the high-speed data flow to and from the modem and controls the modem’s analog and digital subsystems. For additional flexibility, the transmitter and receiver can be configured to support operation with multi-rate PPM waveforms.

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N. W. Spellmeyer, C. A. Browne, D. O. Caplan, J. J. Carney, M. L. Chavez, A. S. Fletcher, J. J. Fitzgerald, R. D. Kaminsky, G. Lund, S. A. Hamilton, R. J. Magliocco, O. V. Mikulina, R. J. Murphy, H. G. Rao, M. S. Scheinbart, M. M. Seaver, and J. P. Wang "A multi-rate DPSK modem for free-space laser communications", Proc. SPIE 8971, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVI, 89710J (25 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057568

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