Monostatic free-space optical communication system

A free-space optical communication terminal comprising:

• an optical antenna comprising an active aperture configured to receive a laser beam through a first aperture having a variable aperture size, the received laser beam characterized by wavelengths in a first wavelength range, the active aperture including a pair of blades and a motor configured to rotate the pair of blades to vary the aperture size;
• a collimator configured to couple the received laser beam into an optical fiber;
• a receiver subsystem comprising a first bandpass filter characterized by a pass band including the first wavelength range;
• a transmitter subsystem configured to generate a laser beam to be transmitted, the laser beam to be transmitted characterized by wavelengths in a second wavelength range outside of the pass band of the first bandpass filter;
• and
• a circulator coupled to the optical fiber, the receiver subsystem, and the transmitter subsystem and configured to:
• direct the received laser beam from the optical fiber to the receiver subsystem;
• and
• direct the laser beam to be transmitted from the transmitter subsystem to the optical fiber,
• wherein the collimator is configured to collimate the laser beam to be transmitted from the optical fiber, and
• wherein the optical antenna is configured to transmit the laser beam to be transmitted into atmosphere through the first aperture.