Functional, mechanical and thermal vacuum qualification testing of G&H proto-flight erbium doped fiber amplifier

Abstract

We present the development and qualification testing of G&H multi-channel fiber amplifier unit developed for satellite to ground free space laser communications. The qualification results show robust functional and structural performance following stress at all 3 possible excitation axes with high level sine vibration, random vibration and mechanical shock as well as thermal cycling between survival and operating temperatures in vacuum condition.Keywords: free space laser communications, satellite to ground optical downlink, erbium doped fiber amplifier