We propose a novel fiber-based free-space optical (FSO)
coherent receiver for inter-satellite communication. The receiver takes advantage
of established fiber-optic components and utilizes the fine-pointing
subsystem installed in FSO terminals to minimize the influence of satellite
platform vibrations. The received beam is coupled to a single-mode fiber,
and the coupling efficiency of the system is investigated both analytically
and experimentally. A receiving sensitivity of -38 dBm is obtained at the
forward error correction limit with a transmission rate of 22.4 Gbit/s. The
proposed receiver is shown to be a promising component for inter-satellite
optical communication.