Low-Cost Optical Air Data System for Weapon Applications

Currently, there is a lack of proven sensors that can provide winds and density ahead of a weapon system, while still meeting the requirements of low observability/size/weight/power/cost and high reliability. Guidance of a weapon system would benefitgreatly with air data knowledge, particularly during the terminal phase when sub-munitions are released. Michigan Aerospace Corporation proposes to investigate the application of its Molecular Optical Air Data System (MOADS) technology for use on a glideweapon system. Preliminary requirements indicate the need for an instrument that will measure wind speed and density ahead of the weapon during its release, glide and terminal phases. Michigan Aerospace has been developing LIDAR (Light Detection andRanging) and air data system technology that can potentially meet these needs. Based on recent technical and cost studies, Michigan Aerospace determined that a low-cost instrument based on MOADS will meet most of the threshold requirements and many of theobjective requirements of a glide weapon system. This proposed Phase I effort will include improvements to the concept design, laboratory testing of the concept and refinement of the production cost estimatesA low-cost air data system has significant commercial potential for the intended application, glide weapon systems, especially in light of current events. It also has application to a number of other government and civilian program areas, includingstealth aircraft air data systems, turbulence detection, UAV-based wind measurement, ground-based Doppler LIDAR, and space-based LIDAR systems.