Free Space Optical Communications Using A Remote Optical Head

An optical communication system for optically transmitting data through a variably refractive medium, the optical communication system comprising:

• a data interface that includes at least an optical signal generator and a detector system, wherein the optical signal generator is configured to output an outbound beam of light;
• a remote optical head, wherein the remote optical head is configured to:
• transmit the outbound beam of light through a variably refractive medium, and
• receive an inbound beam of light;
• wherein the detector system includes:
• one or more detectors;
• and
• a routing system that includes optical components and/or fiber components, wherein the routing system transmits the inbound beam of light to a first set of detectors of the one or more detectors;
• and
• a connection between the remote optical head and the data interface, wherein the connection includes at least one fiber connecting the remote optical head and the optical signal generator,
• wherein the at least one fiber is no longer than a threshold distance from the data interface to the remote optical head,
• the threshold distance is based on a dispersion limit for a configuration of the optical communication system, and
• the dispersion limit and the threshold distance are based on a dispersion coefficient and a spectral bandwidth.