A Rotation-Locking Alignment Scheme and System for Spaceborne Laser Communication APT Technology

This paper proposes a rotation-locking alignment scheme and system based on a Gaussian beam addressing the relative displacement between the receiver and the spot center during the fine tracking phase of spaceborne laser communication APT technology caused by platform vibration, temperature variations and other factors. By rotational scanning fitting, the offset angle and offset distance of the receiver relative to the spot center can be derived and achieve high-precision adaptive tracking. The simulated result demonstrates that the fitting distance error of this scheme is less than 1%, and the fitting angle error is less than π/32. At the same time, the system prototype is developed to conduct ground-based validation experiments, including the static test and outdoor link establishment test. The system prototype features simpler structure, lower computational complexity, and easier integration, satisfying the miniaturization and lightweight design requirements for spaceborne laser communication terminals. The test results verify the system can successfully establish stable laser communication links rapidly.