The concept of controlling optical laser beams on spacecraft for acquisition, tracking and pointing purposes is quickly becoming a reality. As a result, fine pointing of laser beams is turn out to be an increasingly important research topic. A unique testbed was constructed in order to study and develop new methods for laser beam control. This testbed, the Moving Target-Source Test Fixture (MTSTF), hosts a laser source, the Extremely Agile Relaying Laser Source (EARLS), which has the capability of automatically acquiring and directing a laser beam onto a satellite simulator while in motion. The purpose of this thesis is to make the EARLS platform operational by developing a tracking control system. The ultimate goal is to point the laser beam at the satellite simulatorâ s receiving telescope and maintain the laser within the telescopeâ s limits in the presence of structural disturbance induced by the EARLS motion.
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