Airborne Flight Test System (AFTS).
Abstract
The objective of the AFTS program was to demonstrate the operation of a full 1000 Mbps laser communications system transmitting from an aircraft to a ground station receiver. The system was designed around a spaceborne terminal requirements and included prototype operational components. The six years of contract activity included design of a spaceborne high data rate transmitter, adapting the space platform design to operate on a KC-135 aircraft, development and fabrication of both the ground based receiver terminal, and the airborne transmitter. In addition to hardware development of an existing site at White Sands Missile Range was modified to accommodate laser communications equipment for test activities. Supporting the hardware development a series of 5 field tests (both airborne and ground to ground) were conducted to evaluate the field operation of system design concepts and actual hardware performance. The program culminated in a final field test conducted to fully evaluate the complete system which included autonomous acquisition, tracking, 10 pbs communications, 20 Kbps beacon communications, and 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps downlink communications. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 26, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA115100
Entities
People
- John A. Maynard
- Mathias Ross