Documents / Official release
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.
“Low Earth orbit”8 pages
UNCLASSIFIED/;'POR: OPPICIAL USE 014Lf [19) Wang, T.-S., et al. (2000), "Performance Modeling of an Experimental Laser Propelled Lightcraft," AIAA-2000-2347, 3pt AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference, Denver, CO. [20) Wang, T.-S., et al. (2001), "Advanced Performance Modeling of Experimental Laser Lightcrafts," AIAA-2001-0648, 39th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, NV. [21) Wang, T.-S., et al. (2002), "Advanced Performance Modeling of Experimental Laser Lightcraft," J. Propul. and Power, Vol. 18, pp. 1129-1138. [22) Myrabo, L. N. (2001), "World Record Flights of Beam-Riding Rocket Lightcraft: Demonstration of 'Disruptive' Propulsion Technology," AIAA-2001-3798, AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 37th Joint Propulsion Conference, Salt Lake City, UT. [23 ) Mead, F. B., Larson, C. W., and Ka lliomaa, W. M. (2002), "A Status Report of the X-50LR Program - A Laser Propulsion Program," AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 38th Joint Propulsion Conference, Indianapolis, IN. [24) Larson, C. W., Mead, F. B., and Ka lli omaa, W. M. (2002), "Energy conversion in laser propu lsion III," in Proc. of the 1 st Int'! Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by A. V. Pakhomov, AIP Conference Proc. 664, AI P Press, Melvi lle, NY, pp. 170-181. [ 25 ) Fron ing, H. D., et al. (2003), "Study to Determine the Effectiveness and Cost of a Laser-Powered 'Lightcraft' Vehicle System - Results to Guide Future Developments," in Proc. of the 2nd Int'! Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by K. Komurasak i, AIP Conference Proc. 702, AIP Press, Melville, NY, pp . 242-250. [ 26) Froning, H. D., and Davis, E. W. (2006), "Study to Determine the Effectiveness and Cost of a Laser-Propell ed ' Lightcraft' Vehicle System," Final Report AFRL-PR ED-TR-2003-0033, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Edwards AFB, CA. [See also, Knecht, S. D., and Mead, F. B. (2004), "Increasing Laser Ramjet (LR) Thrust and Coupling Coefficient via Nozzle Design and Prevention of Plasma Wrap-Arou nd," Final Report AFRL-PR-ED-TR-2004-0082, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Edwards AFB, CA.] [27) Rumsfeld, D. H., et al. (2001), Report of the Commission To Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, U.S. Congress and the Dept. of Defense, Washington DC. [28) Scott, W. B. (2000), Aviation Week & Space Technology Magazine article on the 2001 Report of the Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, Nov. 6, 2000, p. 61. [29 ) Hasson, V. (2002), "Briefing on Multi-Megawatt Pulsed CO2 Laser Transmitter for Propu lsion Applications," Advanced Concepts Office, AFRL/PRSP, Edwards AFB, CA (Nov. 18, 2002). [30) Ka li sky, Y. (2006), The Physics and Engineering of Solid State Lasers, Tutorial Texts in Optical Engineering, Vol. TT71, SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA. [31) Motes, R. A., and Berdine, R. W. (2009), Introduction to High-Power Fiber Lasers, Publ. by the Directed Energy Professional Society, Albuquerque, NM. [32) Nielsen, P. E. (2009), Effects of Directed Energy Weapons: High Power Lasers, High Power Microwaves, and Particle Beams, Publ. by the Directed Energy Professional Society, Albuquerque, NM, Chapter 3. [33) Mead, F. B. (2007), "Part I - The Lightcraft Technology Demonstration Program," Final Report AFRL-RZ-ED-TR-2007-0078, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Edwards AFB, CA. 72 UNCLASSIFIED,'fFOA QFFISIAL 1!181!! 8HLY
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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.