Patent ID: 7292789

Claim:
A communications terminal comprising: a first aperture configured to receive laser communications signals from ground-based laser communications sources; a plurality of pick-off mirrors configured to receive laser communications signals from mobile laser communications sources; an optical assembly configured to receive the laser communications signals from the ground-based laser communications sources and the mobile laser communications sources, wherein the optical assembly is configured to focus laser communications signals from the ground-based laser communications sources and the mobile laser communications sources onto a focal plane; a first plurality of laser communications receivers located in an inner region of the focal plane, wherein each of the first plurality of laser communications receivers is configured to receive laser communications signals from at least one of the ground-based laser communications sources at a time; and a second plurality of laser communications receivers located in an outer region of the focal plane, concentric with the inner region of the focal plane, wherein each of the second plurality of laser communications receivers is configured to receive laser communications signals from at least one of the mobile laser communications sources at a time.