SWAT Laboratory Test Results. Revision 1.
Abstract
The non-cooperative-target beam-control problem has been the subject of intense investigation since the synthetic-beacon concept was first introduced to the high-energy-laser community in 1982. While numerous analytical studies and computer simulations have been performed to evaluate the practical utility of this phase-measurement technique, prior to Lincoln Laboratory's SWAT (Short- Wavelength Adaptive Techniques) program, no experimental verification had been obtained. In the first phase of the SWAT investigation, completed in 1985, a high degree of correlation between differential-phase measurements from natural and artificial sources was demonstrated. The next phase of the SWAT program will be performed at the AMOS (Air Force Maui Optical Station) facility in Maui, where a 241-actuator adaptive-optics system and an array of six dye lasers will be integrated with the site's 60-cm beam director. Prior to shipment, the adaptive-optics subsystem was subjected to a thorough laboratory evaluation, which culminated in a series of compensation tests involving simulated beacon sources. The results of these measurements are in good agreement with theoretical predictions and provide strong evidence of the efficacy of the synthetic-beacon approach.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA262906
Entities
People
- Daniel V. Murphy
- Ronald R. Parenti
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology