Laser beaming demonstrations to high-orbit satellites

摘要

Abstract: A team of Phillips Laboratory, COMSAT Laboratories, andSandia National Laboratories plans to demonstratestate-of-the-art laser-beaming demonstrations tohigh-orbit satellites. The demonstrations will utilizethe 1.5-m diameter telescope with adaptive optics atthe AFPL Starfire Optical Range (SOR) and a ruby laserprovided by the Air Force and Sandia (1 - 50 kW and 6ms at 694.3 nm). The first targets will be corner-cuberetro-reflectors left on the moon by the Apollo 11, 14,and 15 landings. We attempt to use adaptive optics foratmospheric compensation to demonstrate accurate andreliable beam projection with a series of shots over aspan of time and shot angle. We utilize the returnsignal from the retro- reflectors to help determine thebeam diameter on the moon and the variations inpointing accuracy caused by atmospheric tilt. This isespecially challenging because the retro-reflectorsneed to be in the lunar shadow to allow detection overbackground light. If the results from this experimentare encouraging, we will at a later date direct thebeam at a COMSAT satellite in geosynchronous orbit asit goes into the shadow of the earth. We utilize anonboard monitor to measure the current generated in thesolar panels on the satellite while the beam ispresent. A threshold irradiance of about 4 W/m$+2$/ onorbit is needed for this demonstration. !11