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.
UNCLASSIFIED/ /fOR. 8FFl&IAk W&li ,HIia¥ Miniaturized solid propellant gas generators could be used as ACS thrusters. Forty eight 50 mN-sec pulses are required to reorient the nanosat after it achieves the required orbital altitude. Although this could be achieved either by a monopropellant or a cold gas thruster, it could also be achieved using an array of gas generators. Such miniaturized gas generators have already been successfully built and commercialized by companies such as MOOG and Lockheed-Martin Space Systems. By incorporating micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques, the devices have been produced relatively inexpensively . Miniaturized electric propulsion ACS thrusters, such as pulsed plasma and MEMS field-emission electric propulsion (MEMS FEEP) thrusters, have been developed and are now emerging into widespread commercialization. GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL Guidance Navigation and Control (GN&C) subsystem key technologies and concepts have been identified to enable successful altitude determination of spin-stabilized and three-axis-stabilized nanosats for future missions. They include miniaturization of a sun sensor and horizon crossing indicator. The miniature precision "fan" sun sensor will pinpoint the sun virtually everywhere in the entire celestial sphere with every satellite rotation. The sun sensor will be required to weigh less than 0.25 kg, draw less than 0.1 watt, operate on no greater than a 3.3 volt bus, and meet a 0.1 ° resolution requirement. The miniature horizon crossing indicator has a small bore-sight field of view that is mounted at an angle off the spin axis. As the spacecraft rotates, a cone of coverage is formed. The sensor must be capable of detecting Earth over a range of orbital radii with a pointing accuracy of 0.05°. Total horizon crossing indicator weight and power will be less than 0.2 kg and 0.1 watt, respective ly. Of particular interest to Constellation missions is the incorporation of GPS onboard the nanosats, to eliminate ground-based ephemeris generation. This allows for increased autonomy and simpler, more accurate time resolution onboard the spacecraft. For GPS to fit within the constraints of a nanosat, t he receiver electronics need to be miniaturized into a layer within the C&DH module. COMMAND AND DATA HANDLING Developing the C&DH subsystem for a nanosat presents some unique challenges, with low mass (0.25 kg) and low power (0.5 W) requirements being the biggest drivers. Advanced microelectronic solutions are being developed to meet these challenges. The microelectronics developed must be modular and of scalable packaging to both reduce cost and meet the requ irements of various missions. Th is development will utilize the most cost effective approach, whether infusing commercially driven semiconductor devices into spacecraft applications or partnering with industry in the design and development of high capacity data processing devices. The major technologies will include: lightweight, low power electronics packaging; radiation hard, low power processing platforms; high capacity, low power memory systems; and radiation hard, reconfigurable, field programmable gate arrays (RHrFPGA). The C&DH requirements are as follows: • Power: 0.5 watts. UNCLASSIFIED,<,<FOA QFFI&IAL HSI!! OHLY 4
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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.