Optical ground station for satellite communications

Abstract

An optical ground station for satellite communications comprises a base (12) having a bearing support (14), an intermediate frame (18) mounted on the base, having a circular arc-shaped guide (16) that engages with the bearing support to enable angular motion of the intermediate frame around a first (substantially) horizontal axis (22) corresponding to the axis of a circular arc-shaped guide, a first actuator (24) configured and positioned to rotate the intermediate frame relative to the base around the first axis, an optical communication terminal (30) mounted on the intermediate frame through a rotating bearing (32) that enables angular motion of the optical communication terminal around a second axis (34) perpendicular to the first axis, and a second actuator (33) configured and positioned to rotate the optical communication terminal relative to the intermediate frame around the second axis.

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