You are here

Optical Jitter Control for Laser Communications

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA9453-07-C-0038
Agency Tracking Number: F061-255-3833
Amount: $2,105,840.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF06-255
Solicitation Number: 2006.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2006
Award Year: 2007
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2007-03-12
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2011-09-14
Small Business Information
1300 Britt SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
United States
DUNS: 081475873
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Yes
Principal Investigator
 Dan Eckelkamp-Baker
 Principal Investigator
 (505) 767-1219
 eckelkamp@aptec.com
Business Contact
 Jeffrey Stein
Title: Director-Contracts,Financ
Phone: (505) 767-1231
Email: stein@aptec.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Applied Technology Associates (ATA) proposes to design, implement, and test a prototype Laser Communications Optical Motion Mitigation (LCOMM) system to provide two critical control capabilities to laser communications systems: seamless switching between acquisitions and tracking modes, and handling short sensor outages while minimizing outgoing beam jitter to less that 1-μrad rms. An important consideration for this system is that the vibration environment over the frequency band 0.01 to 100 Hz may be as much as 200 microrads rms in the angular domain. Commensurate linear acceleration environment is also assumed. The new Transformational Communications Satellite system (TSAT) needs a dynamic, packet switched environment. This requires constant acquisition, tracking, and termination of laser communication links. The need for seamless and efficient transitions between the acquisition and tracking modes is an important operational requirement. Efficient transitions means less time is needed to stabilize the link with a newly acquired terminal and this increases the effective system communications bandwidth. ATA is currently actively involved in these technologies and this research and development will show that a combination of the MIRU-LC and controls algorithms simplifies the interface to the controls subsystem.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government