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The Defense Intelligence Agency produced this reference document, dated 31 March 2010, under its Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications (AAWSA) Program. It reviews the state of the art and likely evolution of high-energy laser weapons, including chemical, solid-state, fiber and free-electron lasers, as well as beam control and the history of DoD laser research. It concludes that electrically powered lasers could make megawatt-class weapons practical and that spacecraft laser weapons are conceivable within 20 years. It also recommends ways to protect spacecraft from laser damage.
“The Advance”10 pages
UNCLASSIFIED/ }F9A. 9FFI1il.t.k W!ilE 8HLV Table 1: Laser Systems lrradiance Calculations Spot Range Laser Power Area lrradiance (km) (MW) (cmA2) (kW/cmA2) 1000 10 50000 0.1 350 10 500 1 350 1 50000 0.1 100 1 500 1 100 0.1 500 0.1 35 0.1 50 1 10 0.1 5 10 These irradiance levels show what could be delivered with laser powers from 100 kW to 10 MW at ranges from 10 to 1,000 km. This spans a wide range of realistic powers and potential engagement ranges. The effectiveness of these irradiances against candidate spacecraft designs will need to be determined through analyses and experiments. Recommendations If there are concerns about the potential vulnerability of future spacecraft to laser radiation, then the following recommendations are offered: • Optical components, such as horizon sensors, should have their telescopes baffled and shielded to preclude the entrance of off-axis scattered light. Front shutters can be installed and kept closed when the sensor is not in use or if excess optical energy is detected. • Antennas should be made with maximum reflectivity to UV, visible and near IR wavelengths. They should also have as much thermal mass as possible. Coax cables and power lines should be inside shields. • Solar cells are more difficult to protect although some types are more tolerant of laser radiation and thermal overload than others. They should be wired such that a short or open in one area does not disable others. Cables should be shielded. • Windows should have covers and potentially be coated to reflect laser wavelengths of concern. Shutters that close automatically if laser radiation is detected might also be useful. 25 UNCLASSIFIED/ /f81il 8ffl@Itllt ""I! one I
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 31 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.