DETERMINATION OF A VARIABLE-SPACING ARRAY'S APPLICABILITY AS THE NASA-ACTS INTERSATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TRANSMITTER.

Direct-detection free-space optical communications using laser diode transmitters has been proposed for use on NASA's Advanced Communication Test Satellite (ACTS). A prototype laser diode array with variable spacing between the emitter stripes (VSA) has been studied to determine the key parameters for determining if this device would make a good candidate for use in the ACTS system. While measurements revealed that the VSA exhibited acceptable electrical characteristics, the limited output power of the VSA precludes this device from use in a free-space system even when a polarization-beam-combining system is used.