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This Defense Intelligence Reference Document from the Defense Intelligence Agency, dated 1 November 2010, was produced under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications (AAWSA) Program. It describes nanosatellite technologies and proposes launching nanosats into orbit with laser Lightcraft propulsion. It also covers a weapon mission selection study and multi-megawatt laser options. The author recommends that the Department of Defense and NASA bring Lightcraft R&D back to the United States and restart the X-50LR flight demonstration program.
“The Advance”13 pages
UNCLASSIFIED//P8"1 8PPU!lit.L 1!191!! 8HLY Froning and Davis [26] also determined that the ground-based laser selected (le = 1.62 μm, 10 MW radiated power, 10 m diameter aperture) would enable a Lightcra~ takeoff mass of 8 kg and Lightcraft propellant mass of 4 kg. Therefore, this would allow approximately 4 kg of mass to be placed into orbit with the selected ground-based laser. And vehicle synthesis work determined that the remaining masses for the Lightcraft airframe, propulsion, and control systems would be 0.63 kg, 0.46 kg, and 0.45 kg, respectively, together with a 30 percent contingency (of 0.47 kg). /<3) Takeoff Mass= 8.0 kg Frontal Area = .096 m1 Takeoff Mass= 4.0 kg Frontal Arca= 0.78 ml / Takeoff Mass= 8.0 kg Frontal Ana = .096 m2 1.00 .001 0 (1) 20 Half-Apex Arigle of Fore body (degrees) 30 Figure 9. Lightcraft Vehicle Evolution (in 3 steps) [261. Froning and Davis [26] further indicated that small COTS chemical propulsion systems, with sufficient thrust, would be about a factor of 7 to 12 heavier than those needed to meet Lightcraft orbit circularization needs. However, such mass reductions were 20 UNCLASSIFIED//F&~ &FFI&I.«11! 1!181! &••1:Y
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 77 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.