Optical communications payload for the SATEX I experimental microsatellite

Author

Mendieta, F. Javier ; Pacheco, Enrique ; Arvizu, Arturo ; Muraoka, Ramon

Author_Institution

CICESE Res. Center, Ensenada, Mexico

Volume

3

fYear

2001

fDate

2001

Abstract

The experimental development of an optical payload for free space communications is presented. This payload is designed to operate in the SATEX I mission that consists of an experimental LEO microsatellite development for technological and research purposes. This experiment consists of the design and implementation of a transmitter in 830 nm like the information channel (downlink) and a photoreceiver in the 530 nm that collects the Earth station beacon (uplink) for acquisition and pointing purposes. We have projected as primary goal BER and attenuation measurements in the downlink channel. The technical aspects of the design of all the subsystems are presented, including the link calculation, the characterization of the prototype and the expected performance

Keywords

artificial satellites; optical links; optical receivers; optical transmitters; satellite links; 530 nm; 830 nm; BER measurements; LEO microsatellite; SATEX I experimental microsatellite; SATEX I mission; attenuation measurements; downlink channel; free space communications; information channel; optical communications payload; photoreceiver; pointing; transmitter design; Attenuation measurement; Bit error rate; Downlink; Low earth orbit satellites; Optical attenuators; Optical fiber communication; Optical transmitters; Payloads; Satellite ground stations; Space technology;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Aerospace Conference, 2001, IEEE Proceedings.

Conference_Location

Big Sky, MT

Print_ISBN

0-7803-6599-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/AERO.2001.931386

Filename

931386