Space coherent optical communication technology is considered to be an important way to overcome the bottleneck in current high-speed space communication. However, atmospheric turbulence seriously limits its realization. Based on the Huygens-Fresnel principle and the low-frequency compensation power spectrum inversion method, this work first investigates the random distribution characteristics of the amplitude and phase of a Gaussian beam after it has been transmitted through atmospheric turbulence. Then, using the coherent mixing efficiency and communication bit error rate model, the influence of atmospheric turbulence on the performance of spatial coherent optical communication systems is obtained. Finally, a laser heterodyne detection experimental system is built to quantitatively study the influence of atmospheric turbulence on the coherent detection performance of spatial coherent optical communication. The conclusions drawn from this study are as follows. 1) The spatial phase distortion caused by the weak turbulence channel is relatively small and will hardly affect the light intensity distribution characteristics of the Gaussian beam. In the case of weak turbulence, the influence of weak turbulence on the performance of coherent optical communication system is almost negligible. The communication bit error rate will decrease rapidly with the increase of the number of single bit data photons. The communication signal-to-noise ratio can be better than 10^–5 when the number of single-bit photons is greater than 10. 2) Moderate turbulence will change the intensity distribution characteristics of the Gaussian beam, but will not cause a serious shift in the center of the spot. Under moderate turbulence conditions, the coherent mixing efficiency decreases rapidly as the turbulence intensity continues to increase, but the communication bit error rate still decreases rapidly with the increase of the number of single bit data photons. At this time, increasing the number of single-bit photons can suppress the negative influence of moderate intensity turbulence on the performance of coherent optical communication systems. 3) Strong turbulence will cause severe spatial phase distortion of the beam, destroy the consistency of the light intensity distribution, and cause a serious shift in the center of the spot. Under strong turbulence conditions, the coherent mixing efficiency of coherent optical communication systems approaches zero, and increasing the number of single bit data photons cannot significantly reduce the bit error rate, seriously affecting the quality of coherent optical communication. Atmospheric turbulence is an important limiting factor for developing space coherent optical communication. This study can provide useful references for evaluating the performance of space coherent optical communication systems.