Acquisition, Tracking, Pointing, and Line-of-Sight Control Laboratory Experiments for a Space-Based Bifocal Relay Mirror

Abstract

Space based bifocal relay mirrors are potentially an enabling/enhancing piece of any architecture making use of longrange laser propagation. Inherent in the bifocal concept is dual line of sight control. This is especially challenging in this space-based application due to spacecraft attitude control issues. This paper presents a summary ofthe research into acquisition, tracking, pointing (ATP) and control technologies relevant to a bifocal relay mirror system as well as the development of a laboratory experimental test bed to integrate the advanced optics systems onto a Three-axis spacecraft simulator. The relay geometry includes a cooperative source and either a cooperative or non-cooperative target depending on the application. The described test bed is ajoint effort with the Air Force Research Laboratory (optics) and the Naval Postgraduate School (spacecraft Simulator).Space based bifocal relay mirrors are potentially an enabling/enhancing piece of any architecture making use of longrange laser propagation. Inherent in the bifocal concept is dual line of sight control. This is especially challenging in this space-based application due to spacecraft attitude control issues. This paper presents a summary ofthe research into acquisition, tracking, pointing (ATP) and control technologies relevant to a bifocal relay mirror system as well as the development of a laboratory experimental test bed to integrate the advanced optics systems onto a Three-axis spacecraft simulator. The relay geometry includes a cooperative source and either a cooperative or non-cooperative target depending on the application. The described test bed is ajoint effort with the Air Force Research Laboratory (optics) and the Naval Postgraduate School (spacecraft Simulator).