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This Defense Intelligence Reference Document from the Defense Intelligence Agency, dated 1 November 2010, was produced under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications (AAWSA) Program. It describes nanosatellite technologies and proposes launching nanosats into orbit with laser Lightcraft propulsion. It also covers a weapon mission selection study and multi-megawatt laser options. The author recommends that the Department of Defense and NASA bring Lightcraft R&D back to the United States and restart the X-50LR flight demonstration program.
“small beings”18 pages
UNCLASSIFIED/ il"9" 91"l"!e!lltt tl!IL 9HL I Laser Lightcraft Nanosatellites Summary Miniaturized satellites are spacecraft of unusually low mass and small size, usually under 500 kg in total mass. The term "minisatellite" refers to a spacecraft with a wet mass (including onboard propellant) of 100 kg to 500 kg. Microsatellite or "microsat" is a spacecraft with a wet mass of 10 kg to 100 kg. Nanosatellite or "nanosat" is a spacecraft with a wet mass below 10 kg. Picosatellite or "picosat" is a spacecraft with a wet mass of 0.1 kg to 1.0 kg. Picosats are also called sub-nanosats. The primary reason for miniaturizing satellites is to reduce cost. Heavier satellites require larger launch vehicles of greater cost while smaller, lighter satellites require smaller and cheaper launch vehicles and can sometimes be launched in multiples or "piggyback" using excess capacity on larger launch vehicles. Miniaturized satellites allow for cheaper designs as well as ease of mass production. However, few satellites of any size other than communications constellations, where dozens of satellites are used to cover the globe, have been mass produced in practice. Besides the cost issue, the main rationale for the use of miniaturized satellites is the opportunity to enable missions that a larger satellite cannot accomplish, such as: • Constellations for low data rate communications. • Using formations to gather data from multiple points. • In-orbit inspection of larger satellites. Many of these missions require numerous small spacecraft in a constellation or "swarm." These include orbital communications networks and swarms of small satellites to conduct remote sensing, and to provide unique perspectives on astronomical bodies of interest. For instance, 100 or more nanosats could be deployed from a mother ship to their final destination in space for deployment. Provisions for orbital maneuvers as well as attitude control, multiple sensors, and instruments, and full autonomy will yield a highly capable miniaturized satellite. All onboard electronics will survive a total radiation dose rate of several hundred kilorads over a several year mission lifetime (at least 100 kilorads over two years). Nanosats developed for in-situ measurements will be spin-stabilized, and carry a complement of particles and fields instruments. Nanosats developed for remote sensing measurements (MASINT) or surveillance and eavesdropping (SIGINT) will be three-axis stabilized, and carry a complement of imaging and radio wave instruments. Autonomy both on board the nanosats and at the ground stations will minimize the mission operational costs for tracking and managing a constellation. To reduce overall mission cost, advanced technology components and a novel laser propulsion system will be used to make nanosats and their onboard instruments compact, lightweight, low power, low cost, and able to survive their radiation environment over a several year lifetime. Each nanosat will be manufactured and tested for a recurring cost not to exceed $500k. By producing a large quantity of nanosats for a given mission, the per-unit cost will be reduced to a small fraction of UNCLASSIFIED//F8A 8FFIQIOP !PSS ODIi Y 1
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 77 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.