MuAO

The Multi-use Adaptive Optics (MuAO) receiver, developed by General Atomics Synopta, is a modular, compact instrument compatible with a wide range of telescope apertures and f-numbers. MuAO is designed to efficiently couple optical signals received by a telescope into a single mode fiber, enabling reliable, highly stable classical and quantum optical communication links, even under strong atmospheric turbulence conditions. The MuAO system targets the integration with upcoming satellite constellations such as the High-throughput Optical Network (HydRON) and the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI).

Two MuAO units are currently in production. The first unit, designed for a 2.2 m entrance pupil diameter telescope, features two single-mode fiber outputs: a wideband channel for classical optical communications and a narrowband channel dedicated to quantum key distribution (QKD) with EAGLE-1. The second unit will be mounted at the Nasmyth focus of a 0.8 m aperture diameter telescope, providing a single fiber output optimized for high-speed optical downlinks integrated into the HydRON Demonstrator System Element #1.

GA Synopta has long-standing experience in delivering adaptive optics systems for use in optical satellite-to-ground communications.
Past projects and heritage.