Abstract: A laser pointing apparatus and a method of calibration therefor utilizing a precision machined, highly reflective alignment cube to precisely calibrate the laser pointing system is provided. The calibration method can allow the calculation of the position of a transmitted beam after it leaves an azimuth mirror to high degree of accuracy over large distances.

Abstract: Methodology for calibrating a rotating mirror system includes: measuring a normal of a first fiducial of the mirror system; measuring vectors to a second fiducial of the mirror system, each vector being measured at a different angle of rotation about an azimuth axis of rotation of the mirror system; calculating the azimuth axis of rotation using the measured vectors; creating a base coordinate system from the measured first fiducial normal and the calculated azimuth axis of rotation; and for each of a first mirror and a second mirror of the mirror system, measuring normals of the mirror at multiple angles of rotation, calculating an axis of rotation of the mirror using the measured normals, creating a mirror coordinate system from the measured normals and the calculated axis of rotation of the mirror, and calculating a translation and rotation matrix from the mirror coordinate system to the base coordinate system.