Remote Imaging for Airborne Laser Target Observation

"Flight testing of the Airborne Laser (ABL) weapon system requires detailed characterization of the beam-target interaction, including beam energy flux, uniformity, size, position and duration on target, over a several-second interaction period while theballistic missile target ascends rapidly.This Proposal addresses the design of a remote imaging system, including a sensor, tracking sub-system, and airborne platform, capable of providing the necessary radiometric accuracy and spatial and temporal resolution while flying at a safe distance fromboth the target missile trajectory and the high-energy ABL beam.Typical test engagements will occur at the ABL flight altitude (40,000 feet) and above. A high-altitude sensor platform minimizes atmospheric attenuation and turbulence effects. We will assess the option of using the USAF-NASA `ARES' WB-57, with whichour company has extensive mission planning and operations experience. We will explore the extent to which advanced image processing, including deconvolution algorithms leveraging the large signal due to ABL illumination, can deliver the requiredresolution with an affordable sensor aperture. The proposed high altitude, high spatial/temporal resolution remote imaging system is potentially applicable to other missile defense test scenarios, such as hit-to-kill intercepts outside the atmosphere. Itwould provide high-frame-rate image sequences of the impact debris cloud, minimally degrad