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Beam control of extremely agile relaying laser source for bifocal relay mirror spacecraft

The concept of controlling optical laser beams on spacecraft for acquisition, tracking and pointing purposes is quickly becoming a reality. As a result, fine pointing of laser beams is turn out to be an increasingly important research topic. A unique testbed was constructed in order to study and develop new methods for laser beam control. This testbed, the Moving Target-Source Test Fixture (MTSTF), hosts a laser source, the Extremely Agile Relaying Laser Source (EARLS), which has the capability of automatically acquiring and directing a laser beam onto a satellite simulator while in motion. The purpose of this thesis is to make the EARLS platform operational by developing a tracking control system. The ultimate goal is to point the laser beam at the satellite simulatorâ s receiving telescope and maintain the laser within the telescopeâ s limits in the presence of structural disturbance induced by the EARLS motion.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:nps.edu/oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/2630
Date09 1900
CreatorsJohnson, Scott L.
ContributorsAgrawal, Brij, Kim, Jae Jun, Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)., Department of Mechanical and Astronautical Engineering
PublisherMonterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Source SetsNaval Postgraduate School
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatxiv, 91 p. : col. ill. ;, application/pdf
RightsApproved for public release, distribution unlimited

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