From Event: International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2021, 2021
We propose the inter-satellite laser positioning system for precision formation flying. Our system consists of a single frequency laser and acousto-optic deflectors, and the remote spacecraft can obtain their angle information by frequency counting of the laser beat signal. The accuracy of the angle measurement is evaluated to be 0.004 mrad, and we expand this system to two-dimensional angle measurement. The distance between S/Cs can be also measured by using microwave phase in the detected beam, and length resolution of 6.25 m is obtained from our preliminary test. We plan to apply this initial alignment of three S/Cs for the precision formation flying of Japanese space gravitational wave detector DECIGO project.
© (11 June 2021) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mitsuru Musha, Mika Tajiri, Kei Akami, Aru Suemasa, and Yu-ichi Takeuchi, "Laser-based satellite positioning system for space gravitational wave detector DECIGO," Proc. SPIE 11852, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2020, 1185240 (Presented at International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2021: 11 June 2021; Published: 11 June 2021); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2599634.