Spatial acquisition optimization based on average acquisition time for intersatellite optical communications

An analytical expression for the prediction of the parallel processing acquisition time based on spiral scan, which is correlated with the distribution function of satellite position, size of the uncertainty area, response time of terminals, link distance and beam divergence angle, is derived for satellite optical communication in the process of acquisition. And correspondingly, the estimation of the serial processing acquisition time is also presented. These expressions allow us to optimize the performance of acquisition analytically. Then the average acquisition time is discussed as a function of link distance. The optimum acquisition mode is analyzed in term of the average acquisition time. Comparison and discussion of the two modes shows that there is an critical value of link distance, L
₀
, which determines the optimum acquisition processing mode for optical communication systems. The results obtained here is useful in facilitating parametric estimation and optimization of acquisition system design.