David Wick (Sandia National Laboratories), Brett E. Bagwell (Sandia National Laboratories), William C. Sweatt (Sandia National Laboratories), William D. Cowan (Sandia National Laboratories), Olga B. Spahn (Sandia National Laboratories), Gary L. Peterson
(Breault Research Organization), Ty Martinez (Naval Research Laboratory, c/oAFRL/DES), Sergio R. Restaino (Naval Research Laboratory, c/oAFRL/DES), Jonathan R. Andrews (Naval Research Laboratory, c/oAFRL/DES), Christopher C. Wilcox (Naval Research Laboratory, c/oAFRL/DES), Don M. Payne (Narrascape), Robert Romeo (Composite Mirror Applications, Inc.)
Keywords: Telescopes, Instrumentation
Abstract:
Size, weight, and a lack of adaptability currently hinder the effectiveness of conventional imaging sensors in a number of military applications, including space-based space situational awareness (SSA), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and missile tracking. The development of sensors that are smaller, lighter weight, adaptive, and use less power is critical for the success of future military initiatives. Threat detection systems need the flexibility of a wide FOV for surveillance and situational awareness while simultaneously maintaining high-resolution for target identification and precision tracking from a single, nonmechanical imaging system.
Sandia National Laboratories, the Naval Research Laboratory, Narrascape, Inc., and Composite Mirror Applications, Inc. are at the forefront of active optics research, leading the development of active systems for foveated imaging, nonmechanical zoom, phase diversity, and actively enhanced multi-spectral imaging. Increasing the field-of-view, spatial resolution, spectral capability and system magnification have all been demonstrated with active optics. Adding active components to existing systems should significantly enhance capability in a number of military applications, including night vision, remote sensing and surveillance, chemical/biological detection, and large aperture, space-based systems.
Deployment costs of large aperture systems in space or near-space are directly related to the weight of the system. In order to minimize the weight of conventional primary mirrors and simultaneously achieve an agile system that is capable of true optical zoom without macroscopic moving parts, we are proposing a revolutionary alternative to conventional telescopes where moving lenses/mirrors and gimbals are replaced with lightweight carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) variable radius-of-curvature mirrors (VRMs) and MEMS deformable mirrors (DMs). CFRP and MEMS DMs can provide a variable effective focal length, generating the flexibility in system magnification that is normally accomplished with mechanical motion. By simply adjusting the actuation of the CFRP VRM and MEMS DM in concert, the focal lengths of these adjustable elements, and thus the magnification of the whole system, can be changed without macroscopic moving parts on a millisecond time scale.
Date of Conference: September 10-14, 2006
Track: Telescopes and Instrumentation