Open AccessAdaptive optics correction into single mode fiber for a low Earth orbiting space to ground optical communication link using the OPALS downlink
Author(s) -
Malcolm W. Wright,
Jeffery F. Morris,
J. Kovalik,
K. Andrews,
Matthew J. Abrahamson,
Abhijit Biswas
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.23.033705
Subject(s) - strehl ratio , free space optical communication , adaptive optics , telecommunications link , optics , optical link , optical communication , physics , payload (computing) , testbed , optical fiber , single mode optical fiber , spacecraft , international space station , computer science , telescope , telecommunications , computer network , astronomy , network packet
An adaptive optics (AO) testbed was integrated to the Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) ground station telescope at the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) as part of the free space laser communications experiment with the flight system on board the International Space Station (ISS). Atmospheric turbulence induced aberrations on the optical downlink were adaptively corrected during an overflight of the ISS so that the transmitted laser signal could be efficiently coupled into a single mode fiber continuously. A stable output Strehl ratio of around 0.6 was demonstrated along with the recovery of a 50 Mbps encoded high definition (HD) video transmission from the ISS at the output of the single mode fiber. This proof of concept demonstration validates multi-Gbps optical downlinks from fast slewing low-Earth orbiting (LEO) spacecraft to ground assets in a manner that potentially allows seamless space to ground connectivity for future high data-rates network.