Optical terminals

1. An optical terminal comprising:

an optical telescope configured to receive and transmit light signals comprising:

a housing for the optical telescope;

a first arm with a mirror in a first beam path of a fiber optic transmitter and piezoelectric transducer, a collimator between the mirror and the fiber optic transmitter, and a thin film Dichroic filter; and

a second arm with a fiber optic receiver configured in a second beam path to a focusing lens and a second mirror, the second mirror configured with a fast steering mirror actuator;

a coating configured on the housing of the optical telescope, the coating comprising an emissive thermally conductive coating, wherein the housing is comprised of a continuous carbon fiber configured to minimize the overall thermal response of the optical terminal;

two ultrasonic piezoelectric rotary stages operably connected to the optical telescope;

a base housing configured to house the modem;

a base piezoelectric rotary stage fitted to the base housing;

a pointing and tracking system; and

a modem.

2. The optical terminal of claim 1 wherein the optical telescope further comprises:

an optical refractor telescope.

3. The optical terminal of claim 2 wherein the refractor telescope further comprises:

an aspheric lens; and

an aperture stop at a focal point of an objective lens of the optical telescope.

4. The optical terminal of claim 2 wherein the first beam path and the second beam path intersect at a partial reflecting mirror, through a blur lens and onto a quad cell detector.

5. The optical terminal of claim 4 further comprising:

a plurality of microheaters integrated in the housing of the refractor telescope.

6. The optical terminal of claim 2 wherein the pointing and tracking system further comprises:

a multimode fiber optic amplifier.

7. The optical terminal of claim 1 wherein the

piezoelectric transducer is configured for collimation adjustment.

8. The optical terminal of claim 1 further comprising: an elevation gimbal configured to adjust elevation of the shroud.

9. The optical terminal of claim 1 further comprising: an azimuth gimbal configured to adjust azimuth of the shroud.

10. The optical terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one thermistor configured on the optical telescope.

11. The optical terminal of claim 1 wherein the optical telescope further comprises:

at least one kosters prism, the kosters prism comprising a first right angle prism and a second right angle prism joined together, and at least one detector configured to eliminate common-mode noise via subtractions.

12. The optical terminal of claim 11 wherein the kosters prism further comprises:

a second prism configured in a beam path between the first right angle prism and the second right angle prism joined together and the at least one detector configured to eliminate common-mode noise via subtractions.

13. A communications system comprising:

a transceiver operably connected with an optical telescope configured to receive and transmit light signals the optical telescope comprising:

a housing for the telescope;

a first arm with a mirror in a first beam path of a fiber optic transmitter and piezoelectric transducer, a collimator between the mirror and the fiber optic transmitter, and a thin film Dichroic filter;

a second arm with a fiber optic receiver configured in a second beam path to a focusing lens and a second mirror, the second mirror configured with a fast steering mirror actuator;

an aspheric lens;

an aperture stop at a focal point of an objective lens of the optical telescope;

wherein the first beam path and the second beam path intersect at a partial reflecting mirror, through a blur lens and onto a quad cell detector;

a pointing and tracking system configured to control attitude of the optical telescope; and

a modem.

14. The communications system of claim 13 wherein the pointing and tracking system further comprises:

two ultrasonic piezoelectric rotary stages operably connected to a telescope shroud, the telescope shroud configured around the optical telescope;

an elevation gimbal configured to adjust elevation of the shroud; and

an azimuth gimbal configured to adjust azimuth of the shroud;

a base housing configured to house the modem; and

a base piezoelectric rotary stage fitted to the base housing.

15. The communications system of claim 13 further comprising:

at least one microheater integrated in the housing of the optical telescope; and

at least one thermistor configured on the optical telescope.

16. The communications system of claim 13 wherein the optical telescope further comprises:

at least one kosters prism, the kosters prism comprising a first right angle prism and a second right angle prism joined together, and at least one detector configured to eliminate common-mode noise via subtractions.

17. A communications system comprising:

a transceiver operably connected with an optical telescope configured to receive and transmit light signals the optical telescope comprising;

a first arm with a mirror in a first beam path of a fiber optic transmitter and piezoelectric transducer, a collimator between the mirror and the fiber optic transmitter, and a thin film Dichroic filter;

a second arm with a fiber optic receiver configured in a second beam path to a focusing lens and a second mirror, the second mirror configured with a fast steering mirror actuator; and

at least one kosters prism, the kosters prism comprising a first right angle prism and a second right angle prism joined together, and at least one detector configured to eliminate common-mode noise via subtractions;

a pointing and tracking system comprising:

at least one ultrasonic piezoelectric rotary stages operably connected to a telescope shroud, the telescope shroud configured around the optical telescope;

an elevation gimbal configured to adjust elevation of the shroud; and

an azimuth gimbal configured to adjust azimuth of the shroud;

a modem;

a base housing configured to house the modem; and

a base piezoelectric rotary stage fitted to the base housing.

18. The communications system of claim 17 wherein the transceiver further comprises

a laser source and a modulation driver operably connected to a laser modulator; and

an optical receiver operably connected to a signal decoder.