Full-scale laboratory breadboard model of a free-space laser transceiver package

The design, assembly and testing of the laboratory breadboard model of a CO2 laser free-space transceiver terminal with full scale optics have been successfully developed at comparatively low cost. The transceiver has a 140 Mbit/s communication subsystem and a spatial pointing, acquisition, and tracking subsystem. The most important test results are presented and their relevance for other free-space communication systems using different laser technologies is pointed out. A comparison to specifications for intersatellite and interorbit link applications is used to show the basic feasibility of optical space communications and to point out areas which need technological improvements.