Optical Communication Array Transceiver

Relative Dynamics Inc. will develop an Optical Communication Array Transceiver (OCAT) with capabilities required in NASA Subtopic H9.01: Long-Range Optical Communication. The key innovations in OCAT are: Large apertures enabled by array of telescopes The OCAT architecture usesmodular, low SWaP-Ctelescopes. Emphasis on monostatic (for coherent modulation format) array with duplex (transmit and receive) operation Patent-pending autocollimation/focus sensor and tilt/piston (phase-alignment) sensor Autocollimation sensor leverages concept from Hubble Space Telescope fine guidance sensor. Low-cost tilt/piston sensor improves precision with modular system for3-telescope subarrays Leveraging these commercial/RDI continuing innovations: Integrated photonics modems Leverages terrestrial fiber communication modems, components and integrated photonics technology. 100 Gbpscommercial coherent transceivers with near-quantum limited receiver. Space-qualified versions available. Launches to a market trajectory to leverage future Terabit technology and systems. Ultrasonic piezoelectric motor actuators Micro-radian precision pointing and tracking. A new generation of motors with higher operating bandwidth (500 Hz resonance), higher electrical power efficiency, highertorque, compact size and weight, no magnetic interference, variable velocity without gears, andultra-high vacuum operation Continuous Carbon Fiber composite mechanical and opto-mechanical structures Ultralight weight with high strength-to-weight ratio Low thermal-mechanical distortion. Athermal telescope by engineering coefficient of thermal expansion. Mass-production using low-cost 3D robotic printing Low-cost, compact, high-performance (l/50 rms) telescope optics Use of aspheric lenses to achieve l/50 rms Tx wavefront and 70% single-mode fiber receiver coupling with commercial optics. This is much less expensive than using reflective optics (mirrors). Key innovations in OCAT are: Large apertures enabled by array of telescopes. The OCAT architecture uses modular, low SWaP-C telescopes. Patent-pending autocollimation/focus sensor and tilt/piston (phase-alignment) sensor. Autocollimation sensor leverages concept from Hubble Space Telescope fine guidance sensor Low-cost tilt/piston sensor improves precision with modular system for 3-telescope subarrays Integrated photonics modems. 100 Gbps commercial coherent transceivers with near-quantum limited receiver. Space-qualified versions available. Ultrasonic piezoelectric motor actuators. Micro-radian precision pointing & tracking. Novel motors with higher operating bandwidth (500 Hz resonance), higher electrical power efficiency, higher torque, variable velocity without gears, and ultra-high vacuum operation Continuous Carbon Fiber composite mechanical and opto-mechanical structures. Ultralight weight with high strength-to-weight ratio. Low thermal-mechanical distortion. Athermal telescope by engineering coefficient of thermal expansion. Mass-production using low-cost 3D robotic printing Develop and characterize autocollimation/focus and pointing sensor. Develop a piezo actuator and control system for transmitter collimation/receiver focus Construct a telescope array that maintains pointing alignment over temperature. The material choice, material optimization and optomechanical design are key. The baseline for the OCAT optomechanical structure is continuous-carbon-fiber. Characterize duplex communication (transmitter array and optical receiver array) performance. Optimize communication link design parameters for various cases of spacecraft available resources (size, weight power, cost). Deliverables: The primary goal of this project is to demonstrate the performance of the OCAT. RDI will document, summarize research, theory, experimental data, and performance for the Optical Communication Array Transceiver. RDI will build, test and deliver an Optical Communication Array Transceiver.

Scalable versions of the innovations in the Optical Communication Array Transceiver (OCAT) will enable future data volume returns to and from space missions with return data rates >100 Gbps (cislunar, i.e., Earth to ground), >10 Gbps (Earth-Sun L1 and L2), >1 Gbps/AU2 (deep space), and >1 Gbps (planetary lander). The innovations in OCAT are modular, scalable and extensible or spaceflight systems with concepts for both coherent and direct detection systems. Optical communication networks are complementary to the present RF network.   SpaceX, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Airbus and OneWeb etc. are pursuing High Altitude Platform and very large (thousands) LEO satellite constellation  for global internet deployment.   “The monthly mobile data consumption for video is expected to increase to 38.1 million terabytes by 2021 from 4.4 million terabytes in 2016. Conventional communication satellites will not  meet this growing need.    

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