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FY  1984  RDT&E  DESCRIPTIVE  SUMMARY 
Project:  #ST-8 
Program  Element:  #62301E 
USDR&E  Mission  Area:  530 
Title:   Space  Object  Identification 
Title:   Strategic  Technology 
Budget  Activity:   1.   Technology  Base 
mcE 
H. 
F-   DETAILED  BACKGROUND  AND  DESCRIPTION:   The  goal  of  this  project  is  to  develop  and  demonstrate  advanced  techniques 
for  high  payoff  capabilities  in  apace  object  identification.  The  Compensated  Imaging  System  is  designed  to  obtain 
near  real  time  resolution  satellites  to  assist  in  determining  their 
function  and  evaluating  any  posed  threat.  With  no  compensation,   only  gross  features  can  be  observed 
with  ground-based  telescopes  due  to  atmospheric  turbulence  distortion.  The  Compensated  Imaging  System  not  only 
provides  useful  images  of  satellites,  but  also  is  a  convincing  demonstration  that 
A^t^mJS^l^ak^mSJ^^S^   ^         optical  t^^o\o%^^i^mmym^m\^mm^^^i^^8^ 
&Ummmm^®}^Rfflti&Si3S&%& ,    including  space-based  communication  systems.  The 
Compensated  Imaging  System  will  be  operated  on  a  routine  basis  with  the  USAF  Strategic  Air  Command /Aerospace 
Defense  Command  This  will  end  a  productive,  thirteen  year  development  effort  by  DARPA  in  new 
technology  for  Space  Object  Identification.   Historically,  this  effort  has  produced  a  sensor 
and  two  systems  which  are  now  providing  uniquely 
The  Compensated  Imaging  System  complements  these  systems  by  providing  visual  images  of  a  quality  that 
was  generally  believed  to  be  impossible  prior  to  1975. 
G«   RELATED  ACTIVITIES:  A  USAF  Program  Management  Directive  has  been  generated  for  planning  the  transition  of 
compensated  imaging  technology  into  Ground  Electro-Optical  Deep  Space  Surveillance  (GEODSS)  sites.   Operational 
procedures  and  interface  relationships  have  been  established  between 'USAF 'and  DARPA  for  joint  operations  at  the 
WORK  PERFORMED  BY:  Ninety-eight  percent  of  the  effort  is  performed  by  private  industry.   The  primary  performers 
are:   AVCO  Everett  Research  Laboratory,  Everett,  Massachusetts;  ITEK  Corporation,  Lexington,  Massachusetts; 
Analytic  Decisions,  Inc.,  Arlington,  Virginia;  Optical  Science  Consultants,  Yorba  Linda,  California;  and  Scripps 
Institute  of  Oceanography,  San  Diego,  California.   In  addition,  two  percent  of  the  effort  is  provided  by  Government 
in-house  activities  at  the  Rome  Air  Development  Center,  Griffiss  Air  Force  Base,  New  York. 
137
FY  1984  RDT&E  DESCRIPTIVE  SUMMARY 
Project:  #ST-8 
Program  Element:  #62301E 
USDR&E  Mission  Area:   530 
Title:   Space  Object  Identification 
Title:   Strategic  Technology 
Budget  Activity:   1.   Technology  Base 
i'Jf'fe-*'" 
I.    PROGRAM  ACCOMPLISHMENTS  AND  FUTURE  PROGRAMS: 
1.  FY  1982  Accomplishments:  The  key  accomplishment  was  integration  and  successful  test  of  the  Compensated  Imaging 
(CI)  field  unit  on  the  lftggjft ^Vf feifflfij^^fll^tf^V^ ° *"  the  ARFA  Maui  Optical  Station  (AM0S)/Maui  Optical  Tracking  and 
Identification  Facility  (MOTIF).   This  was  a  first  time  demonstration  of  large  aperture  real-rime  adaptive  optics 
and  serves  to  greatly  increase  confidence  in  the  technology  required  by  future  adaptive  optics  laser  systems.   In 
addition,  several  space  objects  have  been  imaged 
2.  FY  1983  Program:  The  Laser  Beam  Director  facility  at  AMOS  is  being  used  for  laser  ranging  and  illumination 
teats  by  other  government  agencies.   Laser  beam  experiments  are  being  performed  in 
support  of  DARPA  Directed  Energy  Office  programs.   A  capability  for  the  1.6  meter 
telescope  utility  assessment  is  being  completed.   Infrared  signature  measurements  are  being  made  for  the  USAF  Anti- 
Satellite  (ASAT)  program.   DARPA  performance  evaluation  and  USAF  operational  evaluation  of  the  CI  field  unit  on  the 
1.6  meter  telescope  at  AMOS  is  being  completed. 
3.  FY  1984  Planned  Program:  Compensated  Imaging  System  (CIS)  operating  procedures  will  be  finalized  with  USAF 
Strategic  Air  Command/Aerospace  Defense  Command  (SAC/ADCOM).   This  facility  will  provide  the  USAF, 
with  real-time  high  quality  optical  imagery  Together  with  the  previously 
capability  at  AMOS/MOTIF,  this  will  provide  signif  icanj:)y^^imprpyef|  .t 
characterization  of  near  earth  orbit  ftarpni>f»pKiCflil1fi11»^^^^^^ 
j&£QMj|  The  CIS,  Laser  Beam  Director,  and  capabilities  at  AMOS  will  be  transitioned  to  USAF  for 
use  as  a  national  facility  for  experimentation  in  areas  such  as:   space  surveillance,  laser  beam 
measurements. 
4.  Program  to  Completion:   Transition  of  project  to  USAF
FY  1984  RDT&E  DESCRIPTIVE  SUMMARY 
Project:  #ST-8 
Program  Element:  #62301E 
USDR&E  Mission  Area:   530 
Title:   Space  Object  Identification 
Title:  Strategic  Technology 
Budget  Activity:   1.   Technology  Base 
5.  Milestones: 
Last  Year's 
Report  Plan 
Uncertain 
Early  FY  1982 
Mid  FY  1982 
Current 
Plan 
Late  FY  1982 
No  Change 
No  Change 
Milestones 
Completed  acceptance  testing  of 
Compensated  Imaging  (CI)  Charge 
Coupled  Device  (CCD)  camera. 
Completed  integration  of  CI 
Field  unit  with  ARPA  Maui  Optical  Station  (AMOS) 
telescope. 
Completed  feasibility 
demonstration  of  CI  field  unit. 
Complete  transition  of  AMOS/CI  to  USAF. 
6.  Explanation  of  Milestone  Changes:  Resolution  of 
definitizing  the  milestone  for  completing  acceptance  testing  of  the  Compensated  Imaging  (CI)CCD 
problems  delayed  in 
camera. 
139