Laser range finding technology for space to space applications. Volume 1: Laser diode range finder functional model

A functional model of a combination of two laser diode transmitter and receiver systems with a common receiver optics, consisting of a pulsed laser diode system for rapid acquisition and tracking of targets in a relatively large search area and a small window including coarse range determination by time-of-flight measurement; and a continuous wave laser diode transceiver for precision tracking and ranging of one target by phase comparison between a carrier frequency and the modulated return signal was developed. Search and acquisition of moving reflector targets within a total search field-of-view (FOV) 30 x 30 deg; space-to-space range = 10 km; small-angle tracking and ranging is within 2 x 2 deg FOV; acquisition/frame time = 20 sec; range resolution is or = 10 cm far field, or = 1 cm near field (up to 500 m).