Implementation and validation of a CubeSat laser transmitter

Author(s)
Kingsbury, Ryan W; Caplan, David O.; Cahoy, Kerri
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Abstract
The paper presents implementation and validation results for a CubeSat-scale laser transmitter. The master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) design produces a 1550 nm, 200mW average power optical signal through the use of a directly modulated laser diode and a commercial fiber amplifier. The prototype design produces high-fidelity M-ary pulse position modulated (PPM) waveforms (M=8 to 128), targeting data rates > 10 Mbit/s while meeting a constraining 8W power allocation. We also present the implementation of an avalanche photodiode (APD) receiver with measured transmitter-to-receiver performance within 3 dB of theory. Via loopback, the compact receiver design can provide built-in self-test and calibration capabilities, and supports incremental on-orbit testing of the design.
Date issued
2016-03
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/116594
Department
Lincoln Laboratory; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Journal
Proceedings of SPIE--the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
Publisher
SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng
Citation
Kingsbury, R. W., D. O. Caplan, and K. L. Cahoy. “Implementation and Validation of a CubeSat Laser Transmitter.” Edited by Hamid Hemmati and Don M. Boroson. Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVIII (March 15, 2016).
Version: Final published version
ISSN
0277-786X
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