Point-ahead analysis and pre-pointing link stability study of intersatellite laser communication

The static bias error angle obviously affects pre-pointing links’ stability in the presence of vibration in intersatellite laser communication. The 2nd order point-ahead angle is a source of misalignment which was ignored in most solutions, and this is the concern of our paper. In this study, we present a further analytical investigation into the point-ahead angle in complex satellite maneuvering environment. Static bias error angle induced by the 2nd order point-ahead angle has been studied under different intersatellite links. The probability density function of the pre-pointing links’ outage has been derived in the presence of pointing jitter taking consideration of the static bias angle, and the link budget has also been analyzed. Simulation model of link stability has been established to verify the numerical results by the Monte Carlo method in Matlab-Simulink environment. The results have shown that the 2nd order point-ahead angle has a significant detrimental impact on link stability in long distance links. It is a neglectable factor. This work is dedicated to intersatellite laser communication system design.