Optical Jitter Control for Laser Communications

Applied Technology Associates (ATA) proposes to design, implement, and test a prototype Laser Communications Optical Motion Mitigation (LCOMM) system to provide two critical control capabilities to laser communications systems: seamless switching between acquisitions and tracking modes, and handling short sensor outages while minimizing outgoing beam jitter to less that 1-μrad rms. An important consideration for this system is that the vibration environment over the frequency band 0.01 to 100 Hz may be as much as 200 microrads rms in the angular domain. Commensurate linear acceleration environment is also assumed. The new Transformational Communications Satellite system (TSAT) needs a dynamic, packet switched environment. This requires constant acquisition, tracking, and termination of laser communication links. The need for seamless and efficient transitions between the acquisition and tracking modes is an important operational requirement. Efficient transitions means less time is needed to stabilize the link with a newly acquired terminal and this increases the effective system communications bandwidth. ATA is currently actively involved in these technologies and this research and development will show that a combination of the MIRU-LC and controls algorithms simplifies the interface to the controls subsystem.