Device and system for the optical transmission of data between satellites

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the phase shifter (14) is an electrooptical modulator with which the optical density and thus the phase are adjusted as a function of the applied voltage.

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the main amplifier (15) is a fiber amplifier.

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the exit pupil of the collimator (17) is delimited by an edge (35) of a primary mirror that is joined via at least two struts (36) to a centrally positioned mirror (37), multiple subapertures (39) being positioned in an available area (38).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein an outcoupling divider (18) and a transmit/receive splitter (19) are positioned between the collimator (17) and the displacement mirror (20), a mirror telescope (21) being downstream from the displacement mirror (20).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein a phase regulation unit (40) is associated with the phase shifters (14).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the phase regulation unit (40) encompasses, positioned in a series circuit, a phase shifter (22), an amplifier (23), a collimator (26), a mixer (27), a photodiode field (28), and a controller (24).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the individual components of the phase regulation unit (40) are interconnected by way of a glass fiber (25).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein an input terminal of the phase shifter (22) is connected to the power divider section (13) for delivery of a reference beam to the phase regulation unit (40), and an output terminal of the phase shifter (22) is connected to the respective phase shifters (14) for adjustment of the optical signal.

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein for delivery of a test beam to the phase regulation unit (40), the outcoupling divider (18) is connected to the mixer (27).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the test beam delivered to the mixer (27) corresponds to approx. 1% of the transmission beam.

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the phase regulation unit (40) maintains a constant phase difference among the collimators (17) and thus also among the subapertures (39).

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the phase regulation unit makes the phase difference among the collimators (17), and thus among the subapertures (39), equal to zero.

The apparatus as defined in one of the foregoing claims,

• wherein the phase regulation unit (40) sets a quasi-random phase difference at a high frequency.