Laser control system for missiles - uses beam with pattern of pseudo-random noise to give guidance in roll

摘要

The missile flies along the laser beam and carries automatic control equipment which keeps it locked on the beam. The laser beam is sensed by two backwards looking photocells, one on each wing tip of the horizontal wing. A cruciform wing arrangement is used and the missile is steered in the X and Y directions using corresponding control surfaces. The laser beam may be given its pseudo-noise pattern of light and dark areas by a variety of means, including projection of a bleach and white photographic transparency. A pattern which varies with time may be produced by a pseudorandom noise generator. Comparator and summation logic circuits in the missile process the signals received by the photocells.