Innovative free space optical communication and navigation system with high data rate communication, precision ranging, range rate measurements, and accurate spacecraft pointing

摘要

We report an innovative free Space optical communication and navigation system which provides high data rate communication, precise measurements of spacecraft ranging, range rate, and accurate spacecraft pointing. A complete breadboard system was built. It includes both space and ground terminals. Along with 622MBPS data link, two way ranging were conducted. 23μm ranging and 23μm/s range rate accuracies were achieved in 1 second integrating time. These ranging performance is not sensitive to the communication error rate. The high ranging and range rate accuracies were achieved through the relative phase measurement of transmit and receive clock with Dual Mixer Timer Difference measurement apparatus.