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The History of Space Based Laser Part 3

 

1987-1988 Zenith Star Continues

• 22 Options were considered The subscale tests were trying to demonstrate the technology readiness at an affordable cost.
• 5 Subscale Concepts
  –CSE (four versions)
  –ICSE
  –CLEAR
  –SLE
  –STRV-2 (four versions)
• The full scale concepts were aimed at providing enough fidelity act as a prototype and demonstrate readiness to build the actual SBL weapon.
• 7 Full Scale Concepts
  –Zenith Star
  –First LITE
  –Sub LITE
  –Star LITE
  –Ultra-LITE (four versions)
  –Star Brite (2 versions) (Part of the Collaborative Space Experiment with the Russians)
  –SBLRD - Space Based Laser Readiness Demonstrator
  - SBL-IFX - Space Based Laser Integrated Flight Experiment
• Costs from $400k to $1.4B
• Payload weights from 20 lbs to 114,000 lbs
• Technology demonstrated from mirror experiment to full up system. You can see that Zenith Star was kept very busy with one concept after another being rejected because a credible demonstration cost more than the funding available, and anything less was not convincing. So with this mission impossible, they bravely carried on, producing one conceptual design after another trying to satisfy everyone, but never succeeding as the political landscape kept changing.

A sampling of the many Zenith Star Concepts

Sub-Scale Experiments Concepts (less than 1 megaWatt laser power)

CSE - Complementary Space Experiment

• Conceptual Design of the most robust chemical laser within these constraints
  –$300M
  –36 month schedule
  –Functionality similar to SBL
• Experiment goals
  –Demonstrate effectiveness of chemical lasers in space
  –Validate discrimination techniques
  –Evaluate dynamic pointing
• Key Features
  –100 kW HF chemical laser
  –1.2 m diameter primary mirror
  –Launched on a Delta II (7920) vehicle
  –7,447 lb space vehicle (exclusive of contingency)
  –$265 for space vechicle + $45M launch vehicle –Estimated ILC 35 months

1989 CSE/Titan II Capabilities

All of the above were designed to be launched with a Titan II launch vehicle. They shared some common capabilities.

• Titan II Launch Vehicle Compatible
  –4700 lbs to 130 X 650 nm orbit
  –63.4° launch from WTR
  –1 year nominal life on orbit
• Experiment Opportunities
  –2 augmented aluminum spheres
  –4 augmented RV decoys
  –Optional Titan II 2nd stage test object
• Laser Payload
  –>5 kW HF chemical laser
  –30 seconds lase time
  –5 shots, maximum 8 seconds per shot
• Optical Payload
  –70 cm f/1.4 primary Mirror
  –Capture/Track: Star Tracker and Glint Detector
  –Data Acquisition: Visible Camera and optional IR Focal Plane

ICSE and Orbital Test Object 1990 ICSE    One of the subscale concepts    Independent Complementary Space Experiment Lowest Cost Risk Reduction Space experiment for Zenith Star Evaluate operation of medium power chemical laser in space Operate remotely Measure the boresight alignment relative to the centroid tracker-pointer  Evaluate the effectiveness of a medium power laser against simulated threat objects Collect data to reduce the risk of further chemical laser experiments in space Key features 1 meter diameter primary mirror, non-articulated, side looking Uncooled optics, magnification 5x Simple centroid tracker-pointer Open loop off axis steering 3-axis stabilized spacecraft Designed to be launched on a Delta 7920 rocket from Cape Canaveral into 28 deg 324 km altitude 2 day repeating orbit 2.7 MB/second downlink to SGLS 6524 lbs. space vehicle (not counting contingency) Estimated cost $229 million including the launch vehicle Estimate $185 million for the space vehicle Estimate initial launch capability within 35 months

1990 CLEAR   Launch First Stage Burn Jettison spent first stage Second stage burn Second stage burn out and deployment Reorient Open optics door Acquire target Select aimpoint Fire laser Hold track on target Target destroyed Put experiment into safe mode Reenter and deploy parachute Subscale Concept Chemical Laser Experiment Aboard Rocket Maximum fidelity laser experiment aboard a probe within 18 months Goal: Demonstrate the effectiveness of chemical lasers in a space environment Demonstrate the control of a spacecraft while a laser is firing Evaluate optical pointing in space Key features 80 kW linear HF laser with a total run time of 15 seconds 0.7 meter diameter primary mirror > Simple centroid track processor Designed to launch on ARIES Flight vehicle was 2931 lbs not including contingency Estimated cost: $70 million including a $3 million launch vehicle Time to ready for launch: 18 months

1991 SLE Space Laser Experiment Space Laser Experiment Space Vehicle Space Laser Experiment (Subscale) Maximum fidelity laser experiment on a modular satellite within 36 months Goal: Resolve key performance and operational issues, mitigate the development risks associated with integration, control and operation of a laser in space Key features >80 kW linear HF laser with a total run time of 15-30 seconds 0.7 meter diameter primary mirror Simple centroid track processor (CTP) Designed to launch on Delta 7320, Delta 63XX, Titan-II SLV, Titan-II Mark 6, Atlas E, or Taurus with modifications Launch site depends on launch vehicle chosen Flight vehicle was 4921 lbs not including contingency Estimated cost: $147 million including a $48 million launch vehicle Time to ready for launch: 30 months (MEL = Medium Energy Laser)

SLE Mission

In 1993, SDIO became BMDO, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. SBL was handed over to BMDO.

1993 STRV-2

Space Experiments

Proposed by Walter J . Schafer Associates - Government Lead SE/TA Contractor

• A - Coating durability test in space. Laser diodes would measure the reflectivity of coatings over time. Total payload 10-20 lbs.

• B - Cryogenic laser reactant test in space. Storage and then cryopumping liquids. Total payload 30-50 lbs.

• C - Test the ability to manage exhaust effluents from a chemical laser. Total payload: 60-80 lbs.

• D - 2.5 kW laser testbed. Monitor beam, coated optics, hydrazine ignition. Total payload: 80-100 lbs.

• E - Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser Technology Research in zero gravity. All designed to piggyback on a Pegasus launch

Full Scale Space Based Laser Concepts

1993 Zenith Star   The concept was to fly the existing Alpha laser and LAMP telescope as a demonstrator The goals were to conduct high power laser experiments, perform beam characterization, and test the centroid tracker Key Features 1 megawatt class ALPHA laser 4 meter LAMP primary mirror Could be launched by two separate Titan-II's Targets could be launched on a Delta 85,000 lbs. space vehicle not including contingency  Estimated cost: $1.5 billion

1993 First LITE   Risk Reduction for Star LITE My guess is that LITE stood for Laser Integration Technology Experiment. First Light was conceived as a risk reduction experiment to be done as a precursor to Star LITE Key Features Flown as a payload on STS 100 kilowatt class linear HF laser with 400 seconds total run time 2.3 meter primary mirror Could be launched on a Titan IV as a backup Targets could be launched on a Delta 13,164 lbs. space vehicle not including contingency Estimated cost: $450 million, assuming Titan IV launch ($200 million for space vehicle)

1993 Sub LITE

Lowest Possible credible "at-scale" power (approaching 1 megawatt class)

• Key Features
  Flown as a payload on STS 250 kilowatt class linear
  HF laser LAMP and ALI control system
  Could be launched on a Titan IV
  Targets could be launched on a Delta
  25,500 lbs. space vehicle not including contingency
• Estimated cost: $560 million, assuming Titan IV launch ($320 million for space vehicle)
• Time to build: 75 months

1993 Star LITE

• Key Features
  Flown as a payload on STS
  1 megawatt class cylindrical HF laser with 52 seconds total run time
  ALI beam train
  Could be launched on a Titan IVa
  Targets could be launched on a Delta
  32,293 lbs. space vehicle not including contingency
• Estimated cost: $750 million, assuming Titan IVa launch ($560 million for space vehicle)
• Time to build: 54 months

1993 Ultra LITE 4 meter flight experiment with 4 option levels of technology

1993 Collaborative Space Experiment using Russian heavy lift vehicle

Concept called Star BRITE

Effort was to have made use of Russia providing launch vehicle and various subsystems

High Altitude Balloon Experiment

Often the question came up during the Talon Gold program "why space?" Arguments were made about the dynamics of space, the earth background for tracking, and so on. In the end, the objectives of Talon Gold were satisfied with a ground based brassboard, with the DIPS program, and with HABE, the High Altitude Balloon Experiment.

Legend has it that the launch of the HABE failed due to a software error that fired all the explosive bolts at once, (it was a two stage balloon, with the launch balloon to be jettisoned after getting the second balloon up to a thousand feet or so) leaving the experiment to float down into a farmer's field. According to the legend, the farmer's dog "marked" the test article before the Air Force could recover it from the field. HABE never flew again, but was taken to a hangar at Kirtland Air Force Base, where it tracked many missile launches successfully.

 

Advanced Beam Control System ABCS

The Advanced Beam Control Subsystem program developed many novel ideas in optics and beam control. The technical accomplishments are very impressive even today. Much of it is very technical. Many of the concepts developed on ABCS were incorporated into the SBLRD and the SBL-IFX designs.

1998 SBLRD Space Based Laser Readiness Demonstrator

The prime contractor for ALI was Lockheed-Martin. After many years of going through all the concepts that never flew, and completing all of the testing of ALI, Lockheed decided that the technology was ready to fly. They pursued this idea through political means, and Trent Lott emerged as a supporter. In return, the ground integration and test would be conducted at a new high technology center at Stennis, in Mississippi.

Lockheed's main sub, TRW, felt that the laser needed a little more development, and TRW ended up forming its own team to compete against Lockheed. After teaming with Ball Aerospace, the government ruled that the team did not have enough launch, integration, and operation experience to be a credible competitor to Lockheed. At that point, TRW teamed with Boeing. The government requested proposals from each team, and a concept design study was performed. The winning team presumably would get the contract to build the readiness demonstrator.

Two studies were done and a Baseline Validation report was prepared by each team. Before a contract could be awarded, Darlene Druyun stepped in to require the companies to form a single team, a Joint Venture, to build the readiness demonstrator. The new demonstrator was called SBL-IFX, the integrated flight experiment.

 

1999 SBL-IFX Space Based Laser Integrated Flight Experiment

 

The Joint Venture was formed, and a design was begin. After about two years, it was clear that the cost was going to be higher than $2B, perhaps as high as $3B.

Additionally, three separate architecture studies indicated that a global defense based on SBLs would have a life cycle cost in the neighborhood of $3 trillion.

Models were built. Trade shows were attended.