Non-Contact Sled Position Tracking System

This proposal describes a LIDAR system for ultra-high-speed vehicle or projectile position and velocity measurement along a long trajectory, such as a test track. We use optical fiber to distribute the LIDAR signal along the track; this enables us to use eye safe, lower-power emitters and still maintain enough signal for hypersonic tracking to a few millimeters precision. In addition to supporting overlapping and redundant sensing paths, our fiber-based approach makes it very easy to position the transmitter and receivers far from the control unit. This is particularly helpful for test environments where sensors need to be placed in locations are are hazardous to personnel. In addition to recording speed and position tracking, our system can output triggers when the vehicle reaches specific points along its trajectory. This helps facilitate coordination with other test instrumentation such as high-speed cameras.