Project Title:

Low Power Digital Controller for Laser Communications

14.07-3319
Low Power Digital Controller for Laser Communications
The Navitrol Company Inc.
9204 Markville Drive
Dallas
TX
75243
Brown
Richard J.
NAS5-29437
Amount:   
GSFC
NAS5-28645

Abstract:

   The objective of this research is the development of a Low Power DigitalController (LPDC), for providing the overall control electronics functions for a
highly accurate and stable laser pointing and tracking system to be applied to laser
inter-
satellite communication system.  Reductions in system power, size and weight are
to be achieved while increasing performance by application of the latest technology
in CMOS VLSI, computer architecture and advanced control system theory.  The computational
load for a control system processor to meet laser pointing and tracking requirements
is considerable and, without severe design compromises cannot be handled in conventional
microprocessors.  With the LPDC system it can.

The LPDC is a highly modularized multi-processor system, expandable or contractable
to fit many and varied applications.  Results clearly demonstrate the feasibility
of such a system.  The same technology applied to processing will be applied to reduce
size, weight and power of the interface electronics, as well.

Simulation and test results indicate that considerable gains can be made in power
usage reduction by applying new system techniques to cutting on and off the motors
and encoders.