Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

Alexander Pertica

Willem H De Vries

Scot S Olivier

Brian J Bauman

Vincent Riot

Donald W Phillion

John R Henderson

Sergei Nikolaev

Matthew A Horsley

Christopher Charles Walton

Michael Pivovaroff

Robert C Bickel

Ming Jiang

Joanne L Levatin

S Mark Ammons

Harry K Springer

An optical laser beam director assembly is disclosed. The beam director assembly includes a monolithic optics piece formed of transparent optical material, a laser source is coupled to the monolithic optics piece to provide a laser beam to the optics piece, and a beam steerer connected to the optics piece to direct the laser beam output from the optics piece onto a target.

Integrated optics for high energy laser applications

Integrated telescopes are described that are stable and compact, and include optics pieces that are susceptible to stray light. One example telescope includes an optics piece formed of a transparent optical material and two surfaces with each surface including a reflector surface and a baffle. The baffles may be formed in a groove in one of the surfaces of the optics piece. The baffle may have an index of refraction that is approximately the same as an index of refraction of the optics piece. The baffle may include a blackened epoxy, a carbon black material, or a powdered black spinel. The integrated telescope may include a short-wave infrared image sensor fixed in position relative to the optics piece.

Integrated telescope for imaging applications

A space object modeling system that models the evolution of space debris is provided. The modeling system simulates interaction of space objects at simulation times throughout a simulation period. The modeling system includes a propagator that calculates the position of each object at each simulation time based on orbital parameters. The modeling system also includes a collision detector that, for each pair of objects at each simulation time, performs a collision analysis. When the distance between objects satisfies a conjunction criterion, the modeling system calculates a local minimum distance between the pair of objects based on a curve fitting to identify a time of closest approach at the simulation times and calculating the position of the objects at the identified time. When the local minimum distance satisfies a collision criterion, the modeling system models the debris created by the collision of the pair of objects.

Modeling the long-term evolution of space debris

An ephemeris refinement system includes satellites with imaging devices in earth orbit to make observations of space-based objects ('target objects') and a ground-based controller that controls the scheduling of the satellites to make the observations of the target objects and refines orbital models of the target objects. The ground-based controller determines when the target objects of interest will be near enough to a satellite for that satellite to collect an image of the target object based on an initial orbital model for the target objects. The ground-based controller directs the schedules to be uploaded to the satellites, and the satellites make observations as scheduled and download the observations to the ground-based controller. The ground-based controller then refines the initial orbital models of the target objects based on the locations of the target objects that are derived from the observations.

Monitoring objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

Scheduler for monitoring objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

A system for tracking objects that are in earth orbit via a constellation or network of satellites having imaging devices is provided. An object tracking system includes a ground controller and, for each satellite in the constellation, an onboard controller. The ground controller receives ephemeris information for a target object and directs that ephemeris information be transmitted to the satellites. Each onboard controller receives ephemeris information for a target object, collects images of the target object based on the expected location of the target object at an expected time, identifies actual locations of the target object from the collected images, and identifies a next expected location at a next expected time based on the identified actual locations of the target object. The onboard controller processes the collected image to identify the actual location of the target object and transmits the actual location information to the ground controller.

Tracking target objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

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Livermore, CA, United States of America

Alexander Pertica