Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters
In the past two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in demand for services requiring a high bandwidth, a low latency, and high data rates, such as broadband internet services, video streaming, cloud computing, IoT devices, and mobile data services (5G and beyond). Optical wireless communic...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Photonics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/5/444 |
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| _version_ | 1849326837544517632 |
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| author | Muhammad Khalid Wu Ji Deng Li Li Kun |
| author_facet | Muhammad Khalid Wu Ji Deng Li Li Kun |
| author_sort | Muhammad Khalid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the past two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in demand for services requiring a high bandwidth, a low latency, and high data rates, such as broadband internet services, video streaming, cloud computing, IoT devices, and mobile data services (5G and beyond). Optical wireless communication (OWC) technology, which is also envisioned for next-generation satellite networks using laser links, offers a promising solution to meet these demands. Establishing a line-of-sight (LOS) link and initiating communication in laser links is a challenging task. This process is managed by the acquisition, pointing, and tracking (APT) system, which must deal with the narrow beam divergence and the presence of satellite platform vibrations. These factors increase acquisition time and decrease acquisition probability. This study presents a framework for evaluating the acquisition time of four different scanning methods: spiral, raster, square spiral, and hexagonal, using a probabilistic approach. A satellite platform vibration model is used, and an algorithm for estimating its power spectral density is applied. Maximum likelihood estimation is employed to estimate key parameters from satellite vibrations to optimize scan parameters, such as the overlap factor and beam divergence. The simulation results show that selecting the scan path, overlap factor, and beam divergence based on an accurate estimation of satellite vibrations can prevent multiple scans of the uncertainty region, improve target satellite detection, and increase acquisition probability, given that the satellite vibration amplitudes are within the constraints imposed by the scan parameters. This study contributes to improving the acquisition process, which can, in turn, enhance the pointing and tracking phases of the APT system in laser links. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7c91a84c1fec4e37b0cfa61ea1e54bec |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2304-6732 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Photonics |
| spelling | doaj-art-7c91a84c1fec4e37b0cfa61ea1e54bec2025-08-20T03:48:02ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322025-05-0112544410.3390/photonics12050444Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and ParametersMuhammad Khalid0Wu Ji1Deng Li2Li Kun3Key Laboratory of Electronics and Information Technology for Space Systems, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaKey Laboratory of Electronics and Information Technology for Space Systems, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaIn the past two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in demand for services requiring a high bandwidth, a low latency, and high data rates, such as broadband internet services, video streaming, cloud computing, IoT devices, and mobile data services (5G and beyond). Optical wireless communication (OWC) technology, which is also envisioned for next-generation satellite networks using laser links, offers a promising solution to meet these demands. Establishing a line-of-sight (LOS) link and initiating communication in laser links is a challenging task. This process is managed by the acquisition, pointing, and tracking (APT) system, which must deal with the narrow beam divergence and the presence of satellite platform vibrations. These factors increase acquisition time and decrease acquisition probability. This study presents a framework for evaluating the acquisition time of four different scanning methods: spiral, raster, square spiral, and hexagonal, using a probabilistic approach. A satellite platform vibration model is used, and an algorithm for estimating its power spectral density is applied. Maximum likelihood estimation is employed to estimate key parameters from satellite vibrations to optimize scan parameters, such as the overlap factor and beam divergence. The simulation results show that selecting the scan path, overlap factor, and beam divergence based on an accurate estimation of satellite vibrations can prevent multiple scans of the uncertainty region, improve target satellite detection, and increase acquisition probability, given that the satellite vibration amplitudes are within the constraints imposed by the scan parameters. This study contributes to improving the acquisition process, which can, in turn, enhance the pointing and tracking phases of the APT system in laser links.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/5/444laser linksacquisition, pointing, and trackingscan methodssatellite vibrations |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Khalid Wu Ji Deng Li Li Kun Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters Photonics laser links acquisition, pointing, and tracking scan methods satellite vibrations |
| title | Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters |
| title_full | Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters |
| title_fullStr | Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters |
| title_short | Mitigating the Impact of Satellite Vibrations on the Acquisition of Satellite Laser Links Through Optimized Scan Path and Parameters |
| title_sort | mitigating the impact of satellite vibrations on the acquisition of satellite laser links through optimized scan path and parameters |
| topic | laser links acquisition, pointing, and tracking scan methods satellite vibrations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/5/444 |
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