Automated Quad Detector Based Acquisition and Tracking System for Free Space Optical Communication

For satellite based optical communication network, acquisition, tracking and pointing (ATP) is inevitable as the laser beam is innately narrow. Performance of ATP system will ultimately be the yardstick of success of optical communication terminal. The ultimate target of this development is to acquire, point and track two remotely located optical communication terminal moving with a relative velocity or spacecraft moving against a stationary ground station. In this work we have demonstrate stare-scan approach of ATP. The transmitting beacon is stationary and receive station has spiral tracking provision for acquiring. Here we have developed an automated mechanism to acquire a terminal using quad detector and gimbal. The experimental detail and measurement at different modes are explained. The future scope of work is also defined.