
Adaptive Zoom Collimator Design and Risk ReductionAward last edited on: 7/6/2023
Sponsored Program
SBIRAwarding Agency
DOD : AFTotal Award Amount
$2,348,103Award Phase
2Solicitation Topic Code
AF103-018Principal Investigator
Jeffrey D BarchersCompany Information
Nutronics Inc (AKA: General Nutronics Inc~Naosystems)
1851 LeftHand Circle Suite G
LongMont, CO 80501
LongMont, CO 80501
(303) 530-2002 |
rholmes001@aol.com |
www.naosystems.com |
Location: Multiple
Congr. District: 02
County: Boulder
Congr. District: 02
County: Boulder
Phase I
Contract Number: FA9451-11-M-0028Start Date: 1/13/2011 Completed: 00/00/00
Phase I year
2011Phase I Amount
$99,519Benefit:
The proposed effort has numerous potential benefits and commercial applications, including (but not limited to): laser communication, space situational awareness, astronomical ground based imaging, laser radar, laser rangefinding, aircraft self defense (both commercial and military), air-base defense, ship self-defense, and tactical precision strike.
Keywords:
Adaptive Optics, Laser Propagation Through Turbulence
Phase II
Contract Number: FA9451-12-C-0005Start Date: 6/28/2019 Completed: 6/28/2021
Phase II year
2012(last award dollars: 2019)
Phase II Amount
$2,248,584Benefit:
The proposed effort has numerous potential benefits and commercial applications, including (but not limited to): laser communication, space situational awareness, astronomical ground based imaging, laser radar, laser rangefinding, aircraft self defense (both commercial and military), air-base defense, ship self-defense, and tactical precision strike.
Keywords:
Adaptive Optics, Laser Propagation Through Turbulence ---------- Ground-based testing of air / space-borne sensors & trackers (SBIRS, GMD, THAAD, etc.) requires achromatic optical collimation systems that can project dynamic scenes & targets at very large apparent distances. The collimation system must undergo major adjustments to optimally accommodate the FOV of various test articles, but the projection quality is extremely sensitive to misalignment of the large mirror optics which are inherently difficult to set or maintain. In addition, the cryovacuum environment required for low radiometric background makes typical lab-bench access impossible. The AEDC Space Chambers need a high-performance, all-reflective zoom collimator rated for cryovacuum conditions. Nutronics, Inc. proposes to design a reflective cryovacuum zoom collimator with adaptive optical (AO) compensation to meet AEDC's requirements. A system of movable curved mirrors plus a deformable mirror (DM) conveys a broad-spectrum scene at infinite conjugate distance to the sensor under test, with a clear aperture > 30 cm and zoom ratio of at least 4:1 up to 10:1 to accommodate various test articles, while a probe beam and wavefront sensor are used to provide AO feedback. This design-only effort leverages extensive Nutronics expertise in the field of AO, as well as experience with large reflective optics and optics in cryovacuum environments.