Design study for high-performance optical communications satellite terminal with high-power laser diode transmitter

The present optical terminal design for a high data rate interorbit communications link with 500 Mbit/sec (or higher) transmission rate is based on high-power laser diode transmitters with 1 W peak power at 800 nm, in conjunction with a direct-detection receiver; two-channel wavelength-division multiplexing, together with the high transmission capability of the off-axis telescope used, contribute to the achievement of the requisite data rates. In order to minimize system mass, the only rotatable device is the telescope.