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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/ /r;Oll oi;i;1&iol:k Wliili 8Hl!lf Free Electron Laser High-energy free electrons from a particle accelerator (e.g., a high-voltage, high- current electron injector gun) can emit amplified, coherent photons when they are sent through an undulator (or "wiggler" magnets), which generates a periodically varying magnetic field with a linear array of permanent or superconducting magnets. The electron accelerator produces a micro-pulse of "electron bunches" moving at relativistic speeds that are laterally accelerated (or "wiggled") by the alternating magnetic fields in the undulator, thus releasing laser photons at optical wavelengths (see Figure 28 to Figure 30). The optical laser radiation is amplified at the double-Doppler-shifted wavelength of the undulator. The resulting laser beam photon energy depends on the electron energy, the undulator period, and (weakly) the magnetic field strength. The electron beam gets spent at the end of the lasing process. Figure 28. Free-Electron Laser (courtesy of the Naval Post-Graduate School FEL Lab). electron beam pulses optical • • •wiggler laser ~ ' pulses • • •i100 ' partially reflecting Photon Em1s1on transmitting mirror mirror Figure 29. Free-Electron Laser Mechanism (courtesy of the Naval Post-Graduate School FEL Lab). 58 UNCLASSIFIED/ ,'F811. 8ffllil,'\I! l!l!il! 811LY
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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.