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Defense Intelligence Reference Document Laser Lightcraft Nanosatellites

Defense Intelligence Agency · 77 pages · text from the file's own layer

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.

  • p. 3 …Ground/Sea-to-Space Concept ............................................................. 27 Figure 15. Air-to-Space Concept ......................................................................... 28 Figure 16. Schematic…
  • p. 31 …Ground/Sea-to-Space Concept: Appropriate rotation of a high-energy laser beam, emanating from a…
  • p. 32 …more than about 10 MW for ground/sea-based lasers, and no more than about 2…
  • p. 33 …SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Ground/Sea to Space (ETO) 261 If laser propulsion can provide nearly all…
  • p. 34 UNCLASSIFIED/ /1"91t 9ffU!l"I!! l!l!il! 8111!!¥ ground, sea and air launches of…
  • p. 37 …favorable for Lightcraft than air-to- ground/sea or air-to-air missions, which are not…
  • p. 39 …to be an attractive alternative to ground/sea-based laser Lightcraft systems. In this case, airborne…
  • p. 43 …would allow detection of most air, land, sea, and space targets, as well as many "low…
  • p. 64 …The Naval Sea Systems Command's (NAVSEA) Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems (DE&EWS) Program…
  • p. 67 …Lightcraft nanosat or picosat from the ground, sea, or air, it will be necessary to control…
  • p. 68 …beam train suitable for ground, airborne and sea platforms. • Primary mirror which is also a deformable…
  • p. 71 …to launch laser-propelled Lightcraft from ground/sea to LEO while apertures on aircraft-mounted laser…
  • p. 72 …The entire Lightcraft launch system is comprised of a ground, sea, or airborne laser beam generator…
  • p. 73 …Launching a laser-propelled Lightcraft nanosat/picosat from the ground, sea, or air into LEO requires…
UNCLASSIFIED/ il"9" 91"l"!e!lltt tl!IL 9HL I
• Weight: 0.25 kg.
• Input data rate: 2 kbits/sec.
• Output data rate: 100 kbits/sec.
• Data storage: 2 Gbits.
• Encoding: advanced convolutional.
• Processing speed: 12 MIPS.
• Radiation tolerance: > 100 krads total dose.
In order to develop a low mass C&DH, a lightweight and low power electronics
packaging method must be used. The packaging method that will be chosen must have
a small volume and small footprint (6 cm x 6 cm x variable height). The packaging
technique must provide data on programmable substrates and data on a compliant
interconnects for space use. A multi-chip module (MCM) has been successfully
produced by Pico Systems Inc.
A combined effort to reduce mass, power, size and cost led to the development of the
CMOS Ultra Low Power Radiation Tolerant (CULPRiT) system on a chip, and "C&DH in
your Palm" are technologies that enable the power reduction required for nanosats.
The goals of these technologies are a 20: 1 power reduction over current 5-volt
technology, foundry independence of die production, and radiation tolerance.
Another technology enabling a decrease in volume is the RHrFPGA, which reduces
volume by replacing many logic functions/circuits with one die. The RHrFPGA also
allows concurrent design by decoupling the logic design from the module, shortens the
design schedule, lowers the part count, and eases rework.
The above technologies allow for higher levels of electronic integration, effectively
combining spacecraft subsystem electronics and instrument electronics into the
smallest possible mass, power, and volume.
POWER SYSTEMS
Total spacecraft power is limited by the small satellite size. The Sun's power density is
1.35 kW/m 2. Assuming 15% conversion efficiency for a 0.3 m x 0.1 m disk shaped
nanosat (cross section of 0.03 m 2 ), with a 67% area coverage, this results in a total
electric power of only 4.0 watts. Lightweight, efficient solar array panels that minimize
the effective array mounting area are needed. Dual or triple junction GaAs solar cells
that give 18% conversion efficiency at end of life (EOL), and assuming a more
optimistic area factor of 85%, will result in only 6.2 Wat EOL. Small satellites that do
not have extended solar panels simply do not intercept a large solar power density and
must use the available power very efficiently. For a small spinning satellite, it is
expected that three solar cells will be connected in series along the spin axis, and
groups of three will be connected in parallel around the circumference. Each section
will generate 3.3 volts and rotate into and out of sunlight as a unit. Voltage drops at
3.3 volts, bus regulation, circuit protection (e.g., fuse or circuit breaker) and Lithium
ion battery discharge characteristics are being studied.
Highly elliptical orbits in the ecliptic plane where the apogee velocity is very low will
cause a several hour eclipse during part of the year. Spacecraft batteries to cover this
eclipse period presents a significant mass impact. However, only a 10° orbit plane
UNCLASSIFIED//F811. 8FFl81*L tl!IL 8HLY
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 77 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.