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Development of Laser Beam Transmission Strategies for Future Ground-to-Space Optical CommunicationsOptical communications is a key technology to meet the bandwidth expansion required in the global information grid. High bandwidth bi-directional links between sub-orbital platforms and ground and space terminals can provide a seamless interconnectivity for rapid return of critical data to analysts. The JPL Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) is located in Wrightwood California at an altitude of 2.2.km. This 200 sq-m facility houses a state-of- the-art 1-m telescope and is used to develop operational strategies for ground-to-space laser beam propagation that include safe beam transmission through navigable air space, adaptive optics correction and multi-beam scintillation mitigation, and line of sight optical attenuation monitoring. JPL has received authorization from international satellite owners to transmit laser beams to more than twenty retro-reflecting satellites. This paper presents recent progress in the development of these operational strategies tested by narrow laser beam transmissions from the OCTL to retro-reflecting satellites. We present experimental results and compare our measurements with predicted performance for a variety of atmospheric conditions.
Document ID
20070035113
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Wilson, Keith E.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kovalik, Joseph M.
Biswas, Abhijit
Roberts, William T.
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
April 9, 2007
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
optical communications
adaptive optics
lasers
scintillation

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