ArXiv · 2026
Precise pointing control is critical for interspacecraft laser interferometry, as angular misalignment introduces measurement noise and can even lead to laser link loss. We present a nested control architecture that uses differential wavefront sensing signals to drive a fast steering mirror (FSM) to track the incoming beam, while feeding the FSM deflections back to the attitude and orbit control system to suppress angle-dependent optical path variations. This scheme is experimentally validated in our hexapod-based setup. Relative to standalone FSM actuation, the nested configuration reduced the low-frequency root-mean-square pointing jitter by approximately a factor of 2 over 3–70 mHz in both directions. Additionally, tilt-to-length coupling was suppressed by an order of magnitude below 5 mHz and by two orders of magnitude below 0.5 mHz. These results demonstrate the feasibility of nested active pointing control for future interspacecraft laser interferometry missions.
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