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Defense Intelligence Reference Document Laser Lightcraft Nanosatellites

Defense Intelligence Agency · 77 pages · text from the file's own layer

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.

  • p. 15 …The laser-propelled vehicle, called "Ughtcraft" because it flies on a beam of laser light, is…
  • p. 16 …reaching tens of atmospheres) that generates thrust in the direction of the laser beam. A lip…
  • p. 44 …surface accuracy of centimeters in the visible light region. It is constructed of thin film with…
  • p. 53 …by combining the beams of several lower-power devices, or a combination of all these until…
  • p. 55 …A new technology that enables the scaling-up of BSSSL beam power is a recently developed…
  • p. 59 …Neodymium Thulium (Tm 3+), Holmium - Range of beam wavelengths(),) produced: 0.48 μm to 2.9…
  • p. 63 …In the quantum picture of how FELs operate, the "wiggling" electrons radiate light and that light…
  • p. 65 …speed of light. 'MeV "' Mega-electron Volt. •sRL = distance for the area of the beam waist…
  • p. 69 …is French for "elbow," meaning a beam of light is bent in a zigzag manner through…
  • p. 75 …G. (1972), "Review of Laser-Solid Interactions and Its Possibilities for Space Propulsion," NASA Technical Memorandum…
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Master Oscillator, Power
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Fiber coupled
pump modules
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oscillator, or diode laser)
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f7
/High power endcap
Figure 22. Typical HPFL MOPA Design (courtesy of the Directed Energy Professional
Society).
State of the Art in Fiber Combining
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different wavelengths bu\same direction
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Talbot: self-imaging coupling
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Figure 23. Fiber Laser Beam Combining Techniques (courtesy of the Directed Energy
Professional Society).
54
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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.