Off-Axis Telescope Turret for Rapid Laser Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high power laser beam delivery systems face limitations in retractability and deployment, particularly in aircraft, where the forward look angle is restricted and the on-axis telescope configuration results in central obscuration issues, necessitating an improved solution for rapid deployment and enhanced optical performance.
Innovation Solution
A high power laser beam delivery system featuring a rotary turret platform with a truncated spherical payload device, off-axis telescope, and conformal windows, along with an articulated secondary mirror for correcting optical aberrations, and a coarse tracker for target detection and tracking, allowing for rapid deployment and stowage within a vehicle while maintaining a maximum field of regard.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an on-axis telescope is utilized with an auto-alignment system, then the auto-alignment system is simplified, but a central obscuration is created by a secondary mirror resulting in a matching hole in the output beam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an off-axis telescope configuration instead of a traditional on-axis design. The optical axis is deliberately offset from the mechanical axis, creating an asymmetric arrangement that eliminates the central obscuration problem while maintaining auto-alignment capabilities through computational methods rather than mechanical symmetry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the secondary mirror entirely from the optical path. By extracting this component that causes the central obscuration, the system achieves a clear beam profile while still providing optical correction through a single primary mirror and computational optical correction algorithms.
2Productivity
If deployment mechanisms are used to move the turret from a storage bay into the windstream, then the storage bay volume is empty during system deployment, but the storage bay cannot be used for other components due to the need of the space during system retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically reconfigurable turret system that can transition between stowed and deployed states. The turret is mounted on a rotary platform that can rotate into position for deployment, allowing the storage bay to be quickly cleared and reused while maintaining rapid deployment capability through automated rotation and positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes rotational movement in a different dimension (azimuth rotation) instead of linear extension mechanisms. The turret rotates on a vertical axis, allowing it to be stored in a compact configuration and deployed by rotation into the windstream, thereby minimizing the space required in the storage bay during both stowed and deployed states.
3Device complexity
If the forward look angle is limited to the window length, then the window structure is simplified, but the look angle cannot be extended to near forward look angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamically adjustable optical system where the turret can rotate to various azimuth angles. The optical windows are positioned on the rotating turret platform, allowing the field of regard to be dynamically extended beyond the physical window length by rotating the entire turret assembly to near-forward look angles while maintaining a simple window structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables rapid deployment and stowage of the turret system, reduces deployment time, minimizes dead space in the aircraft, and maximizes the field of regard while maintaining low observability and reducing aero-optic distortions, thereby enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of the laser beam delivery.
Implementation Method 1
an off-axis telescope coupled to the turret payload device, having an articulated secondary mirror for correcting optical aberrations, and configured to reflect the high power laser beam to a target through the first of the at least two conformal windows
Implementation Method 2
having an articulated secondary mirror for correcting optical aberrations
Implementation Method 3
an illuminator beam device coupled to the turret payload device and configured to detect atmospheric disturbance between the system and the target by actively illuminating the target to generate a return aberrated wavefront
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A high power laser beam delivery system includes a rotary turret platform (112) rotatable along multiple axes for aiming of a high power laser beam (114, 705). The system further includes a turret payload device (706) coupled to the rotary turret platform (112) that is a truncated sphere and configured to rapidly deploy from a vehicle and stow within the vehicle. The system further includes at least two conformal windows (707) in a spherical side of the turret payload. The system further includes an off-axis telescope (715) coupled to the turret payload (706), having an articulated secondary mirror (755) for correcting optical aberrations, and configured to reflect the high power laser beam (705) to a target through the first of the at least two conformal windows (707). The system further includes an illuminator beam device (700) coupled to the turret payload (706) and configured to detect atmospheric disturbance between the system and the target by actively illuminating the target to generate a return aberrated wavefront through the first of the at least two conformal windows (707). The system further includes a coarse tracker (745) coupled to the turret payload (706), positioned parallel to and on an axis of revolution of the off-axis telescope (715), and configured to detect, acquire, and track the target through the second of the at least two conformal windows (707).