The Optical Test Unit (OTU) for the NASA Direct Detection Laser Tranceiver (DDLT) Experiment was designed to perform a wide variety of electrical and optical tests with minimum cost and risk. Choosing instruments that could do their own processing and carefully examining each step of the integration and test sequence helped reduce the cost and complexity of the system, allowing us to meet a very ambitious schedule. For some tests, less elegant schemes can be used than the traditional system test methods, while still maintaining the integrity of the test system. This paper explores the problems encountered and options that were available in designing the system test equipment for this optical communication system.

Date Published: 11 July 1989
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 1044, Optomechanical Design of Laser Transmitters and Receivers, (11 July 1989); doi: 10.1117/12.951298

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1044:
Optomechanical Design of Laser Transmitters and Receivers
Bernard D. Seery, Editor(s)