Space based optical communications systems that communicate with several satellites need a method to simultaneously track multiple platforms and receive low rate data from each platform. The tracking and data link are required to manage the communications network and to facilitate rapid switching of a high data rate optical link. We will describe a proof-of-concept (POC) system that utilizes a high speed area array detector to simultaneously track and receive data from multiple optical communications beacons. The tracking has sufficient precision to permit rapid acquisition and tracking of any of the beacons by a high speed optical link. The sensitivity of the system is sufficient to permit open loop pointing of divergent beacons. The beacon can be modulated at kilobit/sec rates and the tracking system is capable of synchronizing and extracting the data from all the beacons being tracked.

Date Published: 1 July 1990
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 1218, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies II, (1 July 1990); doi: 10.1117/12.18227

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1218:
Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies II
David L. Begley; Bernard D. Seery, Editor(s)