AAWSAP DIRD, Laser Lightcraft Nanosatellites, November 2010

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UNCLASSIFIED/,'rOR: orrlCIJ!tL USE 014Lf
Mitigating the Atmosphere with
Adaptive Optics
The AO System needs to operate (sense, compute, and adJust the deformable
mirror) approx. > 1OX faster than the atmosphere changes (-1 O's - 10Os hz)
Figure 36. HEL Adaptive Optics System (courtesy of the Directed Energy Professional
Society).
All of these HEL beam control innovations can be quickly adapted to laser propulsion
applications with little or no additional technical modifications or R&DTE. It is expected
that all of the R&DTE work presently being done by the various DoD directed energy
weapons/HEL programs can be immediately leveraged for laser Lightcraft nano-/pico­
satellite programs should they become established. Primary mirrors with exit apertures
of ~ 10 m will be required to launch laser-propelled Lightcraft from ground/sea to LEO
while apertures on aircraft-mounted laser beam control optics will be ~ 1.0 m.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR 061ilCl.li.k W&& 8Ptl'l
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