Compact IR laser for calibration of space based sensors

Conference · Wed Apr 17 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:241426

Kietrick, K M; Dezenberg, G ^[1]; Hamilton, C ^[2]; Vann, J; LaSala, J

---

1. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command, Huntsville, AL (United States)
2. Aculight Corp., Bellevue, WA (United States)

An Er:YAG laser, operating at 2.94 microns, has been developed for in-theater calibration of space based infrared sensors. The laser is used to illuminate a spaceborne sensor focal plane from a surveyed ground reference point. The known reference point is compared to the laser position reported by the sensor, and boresight corrections are made. The Er:YAG laser is side pumped by a InGaAs diode array and is tuned to an atmospheric microwindow with and intracavity etalon. This technology is being directly applied to meet Army requirements for enhanced deep strike targeting information supplied to theater weapons systems.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 241426
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--123799; CONF-9606218--1; ON: DE96010412
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
CALIBRATION
DETECTION
FERRITE GARNETS
INFRARED RADIATION
MISSILES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SATELLITES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
SOLID STATE LASERS
SPACE WEAPONS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS