Beam control of extremely agile relaying laser source for bifocal relay mirror spacecraft

Abstract

The concept of controlling optical laser beams on spacecraft for acquisition, tracking and pointing purposes is quickly becoming a reality. As a result, fine pointing of laser beams is turn out to be an increasingly important research topic. A unique testbed was constructed in order to study and develop new methods for laser beam control. This testbed, the Moving Target-Source Test Fixture (MTSTF), hosts a laser source, the Extremely Agile Relaying Laser Source (EARLS), which has the capability of automatically acquiring and directing a laser beam onto a satellite simulator while in motion. The purpose of this thesis is to make the EARLS platform operational by developing a tracking control system. The ultimate goal is to point the laser beam at the satellite simulatorâ s receiving telescope and maintain the laser within the telescopeâ s limits in the presence of structural disturbance induced by the EARLS motion.