Performance And Modeling Of The Gsfc Pointing Acquisition And Tracking System For Laser Communications

TLDR: In this paper, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) laser communication pointing, acquisition, and tracking laboratory demonstration program is discussed, which includes the construction of a flexible brass-board simulation tool, and a supporting computer simulation effort.

Abstract: In this paper the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) laser communication pointing, acquisition, and tracking laboratory demonstration program is discussed. This program entails the construction of a flexible brass-board simulation tool, and a supporting computer simulation effort. The result of this program will be a viable test bed to support the design and specification of space-based laser communication terminals and, additionally, to address critical performance issues such as tracking robustness in the presence of background (e.g., stellar or earth) noise and/or internally generated thermal noise.