SBIR-STTR Award

Strategic laser systems for uses including high bandwidth communication, non-imaging target identification, imaging, and the deposition of high laser energy on a target, are subject to the dispersive and refractive effects of a turbulent atmosphere. The atmosphere manifests itself with effects on the beam size and shape at the target, thus adaptive modification of the far-field pattern to optimize performance of the system would be very beneficial. Nukove Scientific Consulting has developed a technique that allows for the simultaneous estimation of key pointing parameters that affect laser systems. This work is documented in publications. The technique was developed during analysis of data from ground-to-space laser illumination experiments fielded at the Starfire Optical Range on Kirtland AFB, NM. The implementation of the tool in real or near real-time, and associated adaptive control, is the principle thrust of the work proposed. Fundamentally there is no reason that the technique can not be developed as a real or near real-time estimation tool, allowing for adaptive control of key far-field parameters, such as the size of the beam at the target, data rates and encoding for communication, power level and laser coherence, and control of adaptive optics elements.

Benefits:
The commercialization potential is excellent. Telescope facilities illuminate satellites for metrology or surveillance purposes. Nukove will develop, under a Phase II award, a stand-alone prototype software/processor package that will allow for monitoring of beam pointing and provide near real-time feedback for the control of beam divergence and adaptive optics elements. Abstract: pointing, jitter, boresight, chi square test, real time estimation, laser

During a Phase I STTR Contract #F49620-03-C-0064 provided by AFOSR, Nukove Scientific Consulting addressed 'Adaptive Laser Beam Control Using Return Photon Statistics' with considerable success. The Nukove/NMSU Team demonstrated the feasibility of combining Nukove’s statistical approaches to pointing estimation and target identification with a laboratory testbed at NMSU. This proposed Phase II STTR Grant will take the laboratory demonstration to a professional stand-alone estimation tool that may be used in field experiments at telescope facilities around the world. Nukove has considerable contact with experimentalists at the Starfire Optical Range on Kirtland AFB, NM and the AMOS facility on Mt. Haleakala, on Maui, Hawaii. To address the deeper statistical framework for the pointing estimation techniques, Nukove added a statistician at NMSU specializing in analysis specific to the determination of the fundamental limits of the pointing and target estimation. To ensure a professional package will be available in the near term for chi-square testing at NMSU, Nukove has added a software consulting company to the team with 20+ years experience in GUI and web design. The progress during Phase I together with the augmentation of additional team members assures a viable product will be available and well founded in both science and utility.

Benefits:
The benefits of the commercial package RHINO (Real-time Histogram Interpretation of Numerical Observations) are extensive. Many experimental and defense telescope facilities world wide regularly illuminate space objects in orbits ranging from <1Mm to geosynchronous (35Mm). Such illuminations may be for metrology, scientific or security reasons. The ability to monitor laser system pointing real time, without the requirement for imaging, provides an essential tool. The feedback data from the package to be developed will provide both an invaluable diagnostic for the telescope facilities as well as the potential for the control of the systems to optimize performance. Abstract: Laser Pointing, Optical Cross Section, Target Discrimination, Adaptive Beam Control, Chi-square techniques, Cramer-Rao Lower Bound, Graphical User Interface