High Energy Laser Diagnostics for Space Based Applications

Under a highly successful Phase I SBIR, the Kestrel Corporation investigated an adaptation of a new technology that demonstrated the ability to provide a compact laser wavefront diagnostics sensor that has the ruggedness needed for a high power space basedapplication. This application of this unique sensor provides a large dynamic range, sensitive MWIR wavefront measurement that includes tip and tilt information. The proposed Phase II SBIR will transition the Phase I theoretical analysis and low powerlaboratory research to a high powered configuration and demonstrate the sensor on a High Energy Laser. By using this laser, the proposed work can be directly transitioned as a key SBL technology element with immediate application to the HF overtone lasertest bed. Through the use of an option in the Phase II program, we will apply the new wavefront sensor technology as the input to a compensation system to demonstrate significant improvement in laser brightness. At the conclusion of this Phase II work wewill deliver to MDA, or its agent, a fully functional laser wavefront diagnostics sensor.