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This Defense Intelligence Reference Document (DIA-08-1011-001), dated 1 November 2010, was prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency's Defense Warning Office under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications program. It covers nanosatellite technologies, laser Lightcraft propulsion, a weapon mission selection study and a multi-megawatt laser study. The author recommends that the Department of Defense, working with NASA, bring laser Lightcraft propulsion research back to the United States and restart the Air Force X-50LR test flight program.
From the source: Release of 2026-09-18 Incident: 11/1/10, Las Vegas, Nevada. Released with redactions. This document is a Defense Intelligence Reference Document (DIRD), a technical reference format used by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to capture baseline knowledge on a specific topic for later analytic use. DIRDs are best understood as reference and synthesis products rather than as original research. It is one of 38 DIRDs produced under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) between 2009 and 2011. Because AAWSAP’s scope permitted a broad range of supporting topics, not every DIRD in the series directly concerns aerospace systems or future threat assessment. The following summary reflects the DIRD’s scope and framing at the time of writing and should not be read as implying current validation of the concepts discussed. This DIRD examines laser-propelled “Lightcraft” as a possible low-cost method to launch very small satellites into low Earth orbit by using a remote high-energy laser to supply most of the propulsion energy rather than relying entirely on onboard energy sources. The report combines a survey of nanosatellite trends with a review of “Lightcraft” propulsion concepts, vehicle design, beam-control requirements, and mission studies, and argues that the most promising application is the launch of nano- or pico-satellites, especially Earth- and space-observing payloads of a few kilograms or less. It presents the concept as potentially much cheaper than conventional multistage rockets for very small payloads, while also noting significant practical constraints including strict beam-riding geometry, atmospheric losses, demanding pointing and adaptive-optics requirements, and heavy dependence on large ground-, sea-, or air-based laser infrastructure. Overall, the document presents laser “Lightcraft” as a technically plausible launch concept whose attractiveness depends on whether the supporting laser and beam-control system can be made reliable and economical at operational scale.
UNCLASSIFIED//f8R 8FFIGI/Jk W&li QIIL¥ Contents Chapter 1: Nanosatellite Technologies .................................................................. 3 Chapter 2: Laser Lightcraft Nanosatellite Propulsion .............................................. 11 Chapter 3: Laser Lightcraft Weapon Mission Selection Study .................................. 27 Chapter 4: Summary of Multi-Megawatt Laser Study for Lightcraft Propulsion Appl ications .....................................................................................................42 Chapter 5: Conclusion ......................................................................................68 References .......................................................................................................71 Figures Figure 1. Air Force X-25LR Laser Lightcraft .......................................................... 12 Figure 2. AFRL Test Veh icle in Vertical Flight ................................ ........................ 14 Figure 3. Time-Lapse Photo of a Lightcraft Undergoing an Outdoor Vertical Flight Test 15 Figure 4. Lightcraft Flight-Test Vehicle Used in Horizontal Guide -Wire Flight Tests ...... 16 Figure 5. Lightcraft Undergoing Horizontal Guide-Wire Flight Test ........................... 16 Figure 6. Lightcraft Undergoing Horizontal Guide-Wire Flight Test ........................... 17 Figure 7. Lightcraft Concept .......... ...... ................ ... .......... ........... .......... ............ .18 Figure 8. Lightcraft Trajectory and Associated Pointing Angles ................................. 19 Figure 9 . Lightcraft Vehicle Evolution ... ................. ..... ........ ............. .......... ........... 20 Figure 10. Attenuation Effects on Captured Laser Beam Power................................ 22 Figure 11. Influence of Trajectory and Laser Wavelength on Captured Power ............. 22 Figure 12. Captured Laser Power vs. Increasing Range from 11.2 μm CO2 Laser ........ 23 Figure 13. Influence of Lightcraft Range and Po inting Angles on Captured Power........ 24 Figure 14. Ground/Sea-to-Space Concept .............................................................27 Figure 15. Air-to -Space Concept . ........................................ .......... ............ ......... .28 Figure 16. Schematic of Power Oscillator Optics ....................................................44 Figure 17. Schematic of MOPA ............................................................................45 Figure 18. Schematic of the Laser N2/CO2/H2 Gas Flow System ................................45 Figure 19. Northrop Grumman's Joint High Power Bulk Slab Solid-State Laser .......... .48 Figure 20. DARPA's High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System ......................... 50 Figure 21. Phase Change Materials Allow Storage of Large Intermittent Heat Loads While Slow Regeneration Removes Heat from Aircraft ............................................52 Figure 22. Typ ical HPFL MOPA Design ... ...................................... ......................... 54 Figure 23. Fiber Laser Beam Combining Techniques ...............................................54 Figure 24. Pumping Fiber Lasers .........................................................................56 Figure 25. Large and Small Diameter Fiber Lasers .................................................56 Figure 26. Single Mode Fiber Laser Modules ..........................................................57 Figure 27. Multimode HPFLs ................................ ...............................................57 Figure 28. Free-Electron Laser............................................................................58 Figure 29. Free-Electron Laser Mechanism ............................................................58 Figure 30. Free-Electron Laser Electron Beam Phase-Space Evolution ....................... 59 Figure 31. Recirculating-Beam FEL System ...........................................................60 Figure 32. High-Power FEL Optical Resonator ........................................................62 Figure 33. Notional Long Range HEL Beam Control System .....................................64 UNCLASSIFIED,tfFQA QFFIGIAI:: 1!181: 8HLY iii
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Official release, from the pursue 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.