Systems Engineering - ATI

Optical Communications Systems
Trades and Technology for Implementing Free Space or Fiber Communications
NEW!
January 17-18, 2011
San Diego, California
$990 (8:30am - 4:30pm)
"Register 3 or More & Receive $100 00 each
Off The Course Tuition."
Summary
This two-day course provides a strong foundation for
selecting, designing and building either a Free Space Optical
Comms, or Fiber-Optic Comms System for various
applications. Course includes both DoD and Commercial
systems, in Space, Atmospheric, Underground, and
Underwater Applications. Optical Comms Systems have
advantages over RF and Microwave Comms Systems due to
their directionality, and high frequency carrier. These
properties can lead to greater covertness, freedom from
jamming, and potentially much higher data rates. Novel
architectures are feasible allowing usage in situations where
RF emission or transmission would be precluded.
Instructor
Dr. James Pierre Hauck is a consultant to industry and
government labs. He is an expert in optical communications
systems having pioneered a variety of such systems including
Sat-to-Underwater, Non-line-of-Sight, and Single-Ended
Systems. Dr. Hauck’s work with lasers and optics began about
40 years ago when he studied Quantum Electronics at the
University of CA Irvine. After completing the Ph.D. in Physics,
he went to work for Rockwell’s Electronics Research Center,
working on Laser Radar (LADAR) which has much in common
with Optical Comms Systems. Dr. Hauck’s work on Optical
Comms Systems began in earnest about 30 years ago when
he was Chief Scientist of the Strategic Laser Communications
System Laser Transmitter Module (SLC/LTM), at Northrop
Grumman. He invented, designed and developed a novel
Non-Line-Of-Sight Optical Comms System when he was
Chief Scientist of the General Dynamics Laser Systems
Laboratory. This portable system allowed comm in a U
shaped channel “up-over-and-down” a large building. At SAIC
he analyzed, designed, developed and tested a single ended
Optical Comms System.
What You Will Learn
• What are the Emerging Laser Communications Challenges
for Mobile, Airborne and Space-Based Missions.
• Future Opportunities in LaserCom Applications (ground-toground,
satellite-to-satellite, ground-to-satellite and much
more!)
• Overcoming Challenges in LaserCom Development
(bandwidth expansion, real-time global connectivity,
survivability & more).
• Measuring the Key Performance Tradeoffs (cost vs.
size/weight vs. availability vs. power vs. range).
• Tools and Techniques for Meeting the Requirements of Data
Rate, Availability, Covertness & Jamming.
From this course you will obtain the knowledge and
ability to perform basic Comm systems engineering
calculations, identify tradeoffs, interact meaningfully
with colleagues, evaluate systems, and understand the
literature..
Course Outline
1. Understanding Laser Communications. What are the
Benefits of Laser Communications How Do Laser
Communications Compare with RF and Microwave Systems
Implementation Options. Future Role of Laser
Communications in Commercial, Military and Scientific
Markets.
2. Laser Communications Latest Capabilities &
Requirements. A Complete Guide to Laser Communications
Capabilities for Mobile, Airborne and Space-Based Missions.
What Critical System Functions are Required for Laser
Communications What are the Capability Requirements for
Spacecraft-Based Laser Communications Terminals Tools
and Techniques for Meeting the Requirements of -Data Rate,
Availability, Covertness, Jamming Ground Terminal
Requirements- Viable Receiver Sites, Uplink Beacon and
Command, Safety.
3. Laser Communication System Prototypes &
Programs. USAF/Boeing Gapfiller Wideband Laser Comm
System–The Future Central Node in Military Architectures
DARPA’s TeraHertz Operational Reachback (THOR)–Meeting
Data Requirements for Mobile Environments Elliptica
Transceiver–The Future Battlefield Commlink Laser
Communication Test and Evaluation Station (LTES), DARPA’s
Multi-Access Laser Communication Head (MALCH):
Providing Simultaneous Lasercom to Multiple Airborne Users.
4. Opportunities and Challenges in Laser
Communications Development. Link Drivers--- Weather,
Mobile or Stationary systems, Design Drivers--- Cost, Link
Availability, Bit Rates, Bit Error Rates, Mil Specs Design
Approaches--- Design to Spec, Design to Cost, System
Architecture and Point to Point Where are the Opportunities in
Laser Communications Architectures Development Coping
with the Lack of Bandwidth, What are the Solutions in
Achieving Real-Time Global Connectivity Beam
Transmission: Making it Work - Free-Space Optics-
Overcoming Key Atmospheric Effects Scintillation,
Turbulence, Cloud Statistics, Background Light and Sky
Brightness, Transmission, Seeing Availability, Underwater
Optics, Guided Wave Optics.
5. Expert Insights on Measuring Laser
Communications Performance. Tools and Techniques for
Establishing Requirements and Estimating Performance Key
Performance Trade-offs for Laser Communications Systems -
Examining the Tradeoffs of Cost vs. Availability, Bit Rate, and
Bit Error Rate; of Size/Weight vs. Cost, Availability, BR/BER,
Mobility; of Power vs. Range, BR/BER, Availability; Mass,
Power, Volume and Cost Estimation; Reliability and Quality
Assurance, Environmental Tests, Component Specifics
(Lasers, Detectors, Optics.)
6. Understanding the Key Components and
Subsystems. Current Challenges and Future Capabilities in
Laser Transmitters Why Modulation and Coding is Key for
Successful System Performance Frequency/Wavelength
Control for Signal-to-Noise Improvements Meeting the
Requirements for Optical Channel Capacity The Real Impact
of the Transmitter Telescope on System Performance
Transcription Methods for Sending the Data- Meeting the
Requirements for Bit Rates and Bit Error Rates Which
Receivers are Most Useful for Detecting Optical Signals,
Pointing and Tracking for Link Closure and Reduction of Drop-
Outs - Which Technologies Can Be Used for Link
Closure,How Can You Keep Your Bit Error Rates Low .
7. Future Applications of Laser Communications
Systems. Understanding the Flight Systems - Host Platform
Vibration Characteristics, Fine-Pointing Mechanism, Coarse
Pointing Mechanism, Isolation Mechanisms, Inertial Sensor
Feedback, Eye Safety Ground to Ground – Decisions
required include covertness requirements, day/night, - Fixed –
Mobile Line-of-Sight, Non-Line-of-Sight – Allows significant
freedom of motion Ground to A/C, A/C to Ground, A/C to A/C,
Ground to Satellite. Low Earth Orbit, Point Ahead
Requirements, Medium Earth Orbit, Geo-Stationary Earth
Orbit, Long Range as Above, Satellite to Ground as Above,
Sat to Sat “Real Free Space Comms”, Under-Water Fixed to
Mobile, Under-Water Mobile to Fixed.
34 – Vol. 104 Register online at www.ATIcourses.com or call ATI at 888.501.2100 or 410.956.8805