Laser Sled Position Sensor

To address the Air Force need for a non-contact sensor system capable of precisely capturing the time of arrival of sleds traveling at hypersonic speeds, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (ISI) proposes to develop a new Laser Sled Position (LaSP) sensor based on the novel implementation of a non-contact, optical, ruggedized “tripwire� system. Specifically, the optic “tripwire� design integrates a laser to achieve high measurement certainty and high repeatability of the sled position measurements. LaSP’s innovative optomechanical design will miniaturize its size and ruggedize its enclosure. As a result, LaSP offers a miniature, non-contact sensor system capable of measuring the position of multiple sleds while withstanding harsh hypersonic shocks and the artificial helium environment, thereby closing the technology gap of the Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT). In Phase I, ISI will demonstrate the feasibility of LaSP by designing the system architecture and developing and integrating its hardware and firmware. In Phase II, ISI plans to refine the LaSP system and develop a prototype to determine the positions of multiple sleds, displaced in time, for the conditions relevant to hypersonic tests. The LaSP system will be demonstrated as a fully operational sensor at the HHSTT or other relevant facility.