Beam Pointing Systems (CPA / FPA)
General Atomics Synopta GmbH
Coarse and Fine Pointing Assemblies for beam pointing and stabilization in laser communication terminals and optical ground stations.
Typed specifications23 values
Discloses 4 of 9 fields engineers filter by in this category (category median 2).
- Mass
- 5 kg nom. · without MLI and S/C connector harness · datasheet p.2 5 kg without MLI and S/C connector harness
- Travel range per axis
- 2.5 deg mechanical · description -160–160 deg azimuth pointing range | -20–200 deg elevation pointing range
- Angular resolution (step)
- 0 deg datasheet p.2 0 deg angular resolution, 2 microrad
- Envelope (L×W×H)
- 305 mm x 180 mm, 215 mm height datasheet p.2
- Power consumption
- 6 W max · mean (without heaters) · datasheet p.2 6 W max · mean, without heaters
- Operating temperature
- -25–55 °C at interface plate · datasheet p.2
- Radiation tolerance (TID)
- 100 krad Si, @ 5 mm 4pi Al-equivalent · datasheet p.2
- Design lifetime
- 5 years up to 5 years on ground, 1000 hrs operation · datasheet p.2
- Mechanism type
- two-axis gimbal for optics or sensor dual-mirror coarse pointing assembly for lasercom · datasheet p.1
- Axes
- 2 azimuth and elevation · datasheet p.2
- Connector
- 2 x MDM, 2 x D-Sub, grounding stud datasheet p.2 2 x D-Sub | grounding stud
- Random vibration
- 17.6 g RMS mechanical loads, overall · datasheet p.2
- Slew speed
- 25 °/s min · angular speed, text on page 1 · datasheet p.1 5 °/s min · angular velocity, table | 5 °/s min
- Life, cycles or revolutions
- 54 000 in-orbit operations, on/off cycles, 20 min/cycle · datasheet p.2
Each value is typed with its unit and measurement condition and cites the datasheet page it was taken from. Nothing is guessed: a field that is absent here has not been published by the manufacturer. machine-extracted ✓ checked by NewSpace Market ✓ manufacturer confirmed by the manufacturer.
As published by the supplier12 lines, in the manufacturer's own wording
- Cpa 270 max beam diameter
- Ø 270 mm (ground-based, harsh environmental conditions)
- Cpa 135 max beam diameter
- Ø 135 mm (space-qualified, series production for GEO/LEO LCTs)
- Cpa 70
- Smaller beam diameter variant, space qualification program
- Cpa pointing error
- < 30 µrad
- Cpa induced wavefront error
- typically < 25 nm rms
- Cpa wavelength options
- Visual spectral range; optimized variants at 1064 nm and/or 1550 nm
- Fpa angular range
- ± 2.5° (mechanical)
- Fpa pointing dynamics
- typically 1000 Hz
- Fpa useful beam diameter
- ~25 mm
- Fpa pointing error
- < 10 µrad
- Fpa induced wavefront error
- typically < 15 nm rms
- Fpa wavelength options
- Visual spectral range; optimized variants at 1064 nm and/or 1550 nm
About
GA-Synopta’s beam pointing systems comprise Coarse Pointing Assemblies (CPAs), which cover a hemispherical angular pointing range for ground-based and space-qualified applications, and Fine Pointing Assemblies (FPAs), which provide high-dynamics beam stabilization over a smaller mechanical range using two-axis gimballed mirrors. The CPA 135 variant is space-qualified and used in laser communication terminals on GEO and LEO Earth-observation satellites, in series production; the CPA 270 targets ground-based systems operating in harsh environmental conditions. Both families are optimizable for the visual spectral range as well as 1064 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths for laser communication links.
Documentation
Need the full ICD, test reports or a specific revision? Ask the supplier directly.