Short range lightwave/IR communication in space

[Higgler]

I am designing a space based antenna array and would like to talk from one part of the antenna to the other part using simple infrared transmitters and receivers, similar to your remote control on the television, i.e. something cheap for our high quantity. The receivers will often be hit with direct sunlight. Tranceiver units would be best so there is two way communication. Is there any way to use IR or other filtered light to send simple digital codes for a distant of 10 to 15 feet in space (MEO orbit)? Our present discussion is to use fiber optic cables to distribute commands, but it would be much simpler, cheaper and better for testability if light was used.
Any suggestions?
kch

 

[IRstuff]

What about Bluetooth?

I think you'll have too many problems with optical transceivers. Any solar impingement or glint will swamp the detector and make it extremely difficult to communicate. In order to overcome the solar background, you'd need narrowband filters with smaller than 15 nm widths and the transmitters would need to be TEC-stabilized to maintain the wavelength stability over ambient temperature excursions.

TTFN

 

[Higgler]

Bluetooth may be an option. Since we transmit RF energy from one part of the antenna to another it would make sense to use RF communication. Getting the hardware size including antennas to a minimum may mean that instead of bluetooth frequencies that we use our X band antennas. It'll be a special chip design as we need a high quantity of these devices.

What I'd really like to find is the smallest physical footprint and smallest dc power needed to receive a signal from 15 feet away so that our antenna phase shifters can be commanded remotely to change states.
Thanks,
kch

 

[IRstuff]

My personal feeling is that Bluetooth will be more robust in that regard. A

ny sunlight reflections, etc., will swamp an optical receiver and cause intermittent functionality


TTFN