NFIRE-to-TerraSAR-X laser communication results: satellite pointing, disturbances, and other attributes consistent with successful performance

Fields, R. A.; Lunde, C.; Wong, R.L.; Wicker, Josef M.; Kozlowski, D.A.; Jordan, John M.; Hansen, Brian; Muehlnikel, Gerd; Scheel, Wayne; Sterr, U.; Kahle, Ralph; Meyer, Rolf

doi:10.1117/12.820393

Cited by 64 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…To quantify the possible gains using nonuniform signaling, consider the example of an LEO laser communication link demonstrated between TerraSAR-X and NFIRE satellites [4]. This link operates at a data rate of 5.625 Gbps over a link distance of 3800-4900 km.…”

Section: Example: Leo Intersatellite Linkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This high gain translates into a significant reduction in the required transceiver power, volume, and mass. Recently, an optical link between two low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites has been demonstrated at a rate of 5.625 Gbps over a range of 3800-4900 km with a telescope diameter of 12.5 cm, a total mass of 32 kg, and a power consumption of less than 120 W for the entire transceiver [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Capacity and Nonuniform Signaling for Discrete-Time Poisson Channels

Cao

Hranilovic

Chen

2013

J. Opt. Commun. Netw.

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The Poisson photon-counting model is accurate for optical channels with low received intensity, such as long-range intersatellite optical wireless links. This work considers the computation of the channel capacity and the design of capacity-approaching, nonuniform signaling for discrete-time Poisson channels in the presence of dark current and underaverage and peak amplitude constraints. Although the capacity of this channel is unknown, numerical computation of the channel capacity is implemented using a particle method. A nonuniform mapper is coupled to a low-density parity check code and a joint demapper-decoder is designed based on the sum-product algorithm. Simulations indicate near-capacity performance of the proposed coding system and significant gains over information rates using traditional uniform signaling. A key observation of this work is that significant gains in rate can be achieved for the same average power consumption by using optical transceivers with nonuniform signaling and a modest increase in peak power.

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Section: Example: Leo Intersatellite Linkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Capacity and Nonuniform Signaling for Discrete-Time Poisson Channels

Cao

Hranilovic

Chen

2013

J. Opt. Commun. Netw.

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“…SILEX demonstrated for the first time that the stringent PAT requirements associated with the extremely low divergence of optical communication beams (7 µrad in the case of SILEX) can be reliably mastered in space. In 2008, TerraSAR-X and the NFIRE satellites tested data transmission in space at a range of about 5,000 km with a laser beam divergence of approximately 3 µrad [75]. Today, DSP-I satellites carry a laser communications package that enable the satellites to relay information to each other with a similar beam divergence.…”

Section: Significant Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Novel Satellite Mission Concept for Upper Air Water Vapour, Aerosol and Cloud Observations Using Integrated Path Differential Absorption LiDAR Limb Sounding

et al. 2012

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We propose a new satellite mission to deliver high quality measurements of upper air water vapour. The concept centres around a LiDAR in limb sounding by occultation geometry, designed to operate as a very long path system for differential absorption measurements. We present a preliminary performance analysis with a system sized to send 75 mJ pulses at 25 Hz at four wavelengths close to 935 nm, to up to 5 microsatellites in a counter-rotating orbit, carrying retroreflectors characterized by a reflected beam divergence of roughly twice the emitted laser beam divergence of 15 µrad. This provides water vapour profiles with a vertical sampling of 110 m; preliminary calculations suggest that the system could detect concentrations of less than 5 ppm. A secondary payload of a fairly conventional medium resolution multispectral radiometer allows wide-swath cloud and aerosol imaging. The total weight and power of the system are estimated at 3 tons and 2,700 W respectively. This novel concept presents significant challenges, including the performance of the lasers in space, the tracking between the main spacecraft and the retroreflectors, the refractive effects of turbulence, and the design of the telescopes to achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio for the high precision measurements. The mission concept was conceived at the Alpbach Summer School 2010.

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“…The design of the LCT is based on a precursor mission launched in 2007, in which two TESAT Spacecom LCTs on TerraSAR X and NFIRE satellites performed 5.6 Gbit/s data links in a LEO to LEO configuration over the past six years [1].…”

Section: The Laser Communication Terminalmentioning

confidence: 99%