Optical Communication Turrets for Highly Mobile Vehicles

Space Photonics Incorporated proposes an extremely miniature, low power, high speed, optical communications turret utilizing a unique system design requiring no gimballing. This technology and design enables optical communications turrets specifically for UAV/satellite/space vehicle applications to rapidly acquire and track optical cross-link signals crucial for advanced high speed, high data rate, communications systems using laser based data links. The system is based on our innovative system design that includes a MEMS solution that provides accurate pointing and tracking of the transmit and receive signals to rapidly align the free space optical transceivers to establish the link. This eliminates the complex and time consuming link acquisition processes common in current systems, thereby increasing data transfer time and effective bandwidth between highly mobile vehicles. This proposed approach provides a data rate independent acquisition and tracking solution that meets the specific fast response closed loop tracking requirements for UAV/satellite/space vehicles. This innovation coupled with our current development of our 10.0 Gbps miniature free space laser communications transceivers for space applications provides a practical and unique solution for Air Force programs that require advanced, high bandwidth, high data rate, and mobile communications capabilities.