BeaconLess Adaptive-optic System&Technology (BLAST) for HEL beam control

Effective performance of prospective energy-delivering laser systems requires a beaconless adaptive optic method capable of correcting moderate to heavy atmospheric distortion of high-power beams. The innovative method described here implements a beaconless sensor based on the collection of target-scattered light. Post-processing of the beacon-detected field will allow retrieval and complete characterization of the turbulence-perturbed wavefront. During the Phase I program we will perform detailed theoretical analysis, modeling, design and integration of the BLAST breadboard. The proof-of-concept BLAST breadboard will demonstrate the detection and characterization of wavefront aberrations and the ability to compensate for distortions in simulated perturbations equivalent to Rytov>0.3. In Phase II a highly-developed prototype-level BLAST system will be tested and proven in realistic field environments.