Laser Tracking System with Automatic Reacquisition Capability

R. E. Johnson; P. F. Weiss

doi:10.1364/AO.7.001095

Applied Optics
Vol. 7,
Issue 6,
pp. 1095-1102
(1968)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.7.001095

Laser Tracking System with Automatic Reacquisition Capability

R. E. Johnson and P. F. Weiss

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R. E. Johnson and P. F. Weiss, "Laser Tracking System with Automatic Reacquisition Capability," Appl. Opt. 7, 1095-1102 (1968)

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Abstract

A laser based tracking system is described that has the capability of automatically performing an acquisition search to locate the target. This work is intended for precision launch phase tracking of the Saturn V launch vehicle. System tracking accuracies limited only by the atmosphere have been demonstrated, as has acquisition over a 1° × 1° field of view.

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Primary laser power at 6328 Å	50 mW
Maximum acquisition range	10 km
Effective area of corner reflector	20 cm²
Maximum relative target velocity during acquisition	0.5°/sec
Acquisition field	1° × 1°
Maximum expected background radiance (excluding specular reflections)	0.2 Wm⁻²sr⁻¹mμ⁻¹
Atmospheric attenuation (maximum)	1.2 dB/km

Symbol	Value	Unit	Description
B		Hz	Receiver bandwidth
c	3 × 10⁸	m/sec	Velocity of light
d _c	0.05	m	Diameter of optical retroreflector
d _R	0.15	m	Diameter of receiver collecting aperture
e	1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹	C	Electronic charge
hν	3.14 × 10⁻¹⁹	J	Energy per photon at 6328 Å
L _P	24	dB	Optical losses in the atmospheric path
L _R	9	dB	Optical losses in the receiver
L _T	4.5	dB	Optical losses in the transmitter
m	0.7	—	Modulation index
N _B	0.2	Wm⁻²sr⁻¹mμ⁻¹	Background radiance
P _B		W	Radiant background power striking receiver photocathode
P _R		W	Radiant signal power striking receiver photocathode
P _T	0.050	W	Laser output power
q	0.06	—	Quantum efficiency of image dissector
R		m	Range to target
v	8.7 × 10⁻³	rad/sec	Maximum expected relative angular velocity of target
θ		rad	Transmitter–receiver beam width
λ	6.328 × 10⁻⁷	m	Wavelength of laser
ϕ	0.017	rad	Angle of total acquisition field (1°)

Within circular area of diameter(degree)	Uncorrected coordinates are accurate to(sec of arc)	And can be corrected to(sec of arc)
$\frac{1}{10} °$	1	1
$\frac{1}{4} °$	3	2
$\frac{1}{2} °$	10	4
1°	40	20

Maximum hysteresis in image dissector coils	±0.8 sec of arc
Peak high frequency noise	±0.2 sec of arc
Peak ripple from error signal generator	±0.2 sec of arc
Maximum drift rate of electronic circuitry after warmup	±1.0 sec of arc/h
Maximum deflection errors due to sag in telescope assembly (can be calibrated and therefore corrected)	±0.4 sec of arc
	−0.6 (elevation only)

Primary laser power at 6328 Å	50 mW
Maximum acquisition range	10 km
Effective area of corner reflector	20 cm²
Maximum relative target velocity during acquisition	0.5°/sec
Acquisition field	1° × 1°
Maximum expected background radiance (excluding specular reflections)	0.2 Wm⁻²sr⁻¹mμ⁻¹
Atmospheric attenuation (maximum)	1.2 dB/km

Abstract

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Applied Optics