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Analysis of laser signal measurements from aircraft ad GEO satellite optical downlinks

Master Thesis Student at DLR (German Aerospace Center), Institute of Communications and Navigation, Satellite Networks Group, Optical Communications Group in Oberpfaffenhofen

Duration:

6 months

Start:

Immediately

Requirements:

Study of Electrical Engineering, Physics (or similar), Basics in Matlab programming, Interest in optics and free-space optical communications

Short Description:

The Optical Communications Group investigates new technologies to improve performance of free-space optical links between ground stations, aircrafts, satellites, etc. The particular channel behavior due to atmospheric turbulence causes phase and amplitude distortions of the incident laser beam. On the institute building roof, the group hosts an optical ground station used recently for signal reception during optical
aircrafts downlink experiments. Several instruments are involved in the characterization of the atmospheric channel: focus camera, Shack-Hartmann sensor, pupil camera and power detectors. In parallel, downlinks from the GEO satellite Artemis were performed from the ESA’s Ground Station in Tenerife. During these experiments, the channel was characterized by a focus camera and power detectors. In the framework of this thesis, the obtained measurements with these instruments, from aircraft and GEO downlinks, shall be analyzed and used in order to gain knowledge about the channel behavior for free-space optical downlinks.

Possibility of pursuing PhD afterwards.