Free-space optical communication for CubeSats in low lunar orbit: LLO

Peter M. Goorjian

doi:10.1117/12.2542134

2 March 2020 Free-space optical communication for CubeSats in low lunar orbit: LLO

Peter M. Goorjian

Proceedings Volume 11272, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXII; 1127214 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2542134
Event: SPIE LASE, 2020, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

A fine pointing capability has been developed for laser beam pointing to augment body pointing by CubeSats. An application is made to CubeSats in Low Lunar Orbit (LLO), at 100 km. Body pointing was used by Aerospace Corporation for CubeSats in LEO in NASA’s Optical Communications and Sensors Demonstration (OCSD) program. Computer simulations of this fine pointing capability have been applied to the OCSD program. With fine pointing, the spot size on the Earth could be reduced by a factor of eight with a reduction in laser output power by a factor of sixty-four, thereby mitigating the thermal load challenge on the CubeSats. The same reductions in spot size and laser output power can be achieved for CubeSats in LLO. The new method uses laser arrays for fine laser beam pointing and does not use moving parts. It combines a lens system and a VCSEL/Photodetector Array. For these electro-optical systems, reaction times to pointing changes and vibrations are on a nanosecond time scale, much faster than those for mechanical systems. Results from computer simulations will be presented.

Citation Download Citation

Peter M. Goorjian "Free-space optical communication for CubeSats in low lunar orbit: LLO", Proc. SPIE 11272, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXII, 1127214 (2 March 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2542134

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available