The invention discloses an ultra-long distance 
optical communication system and an ultra-long distance 
optical communication method based on single-
photon detection, which is particularly applicable to the occasions with ultra-long distance communication. In the invention, aiming at the contradictions between the international requirements on deep-
space exploration and deep-space communication and the limits of traditional 
microwave communication 
system on 
power consumption, bandwidth and the like, the spatial 
optical communication mode with the following advantages is adopted: large 
channel capacity, low 
power consumption, small volume, light weight, high 
confidentiality, strong anti-interference and the like; based on the rising single-
photon detection technology, the invention provides the ultra-long distance optical communication 
system and the ultra-long distance optical communication method based on single-
photon detection; the coding modulation mode in which the differential 
pulse position modulation and the 
polarization modulation are combined with each other is adopted; furthermore, the spatial high-precision tracking, capturing and aiming technology is adopted; by the optical 
machine structure with reasonable design and the communication method of the system, the chain and system consumption of the spatial optical communication can be reduced; the 
communication bandwidth can be improved; and the 
power consumption of communication system can be greatly reduced, thus meeting the requirement on the ultra-long distance optical communication, therefore, the system and the method are especially applicable to the occasions with ultra-long distance optical communication.