Design of a laser radar retroreflector array for use in nonorbiting spacecraft
Abstract
A hemispherical array of corner cubes was designed for enhancing the visible track of sounding rockets. The array was designed to return light to a visible ground-based laser radar, while not affecting an infrared laser radar or a microwave radar. Lead-ahead and thermal requirements are less severe, but weight requirements can be more severe than for satellite arrays. Use of a visibly transparent front-surface conductive coating was found to improve the microwave signature and thermal characteristics of the corner cubes.
- Publication:
-
Lasers 1990; Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Lasers and Applications
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991laap.conf..424R
- Keywords:
-
- Laser Arrays;
- Optical Radar;
- Retroreflectors;
- Sounding Rockets;
- Spacecraft Tracking;
- Low Weight;
- Microwave Signatures;
- Mirrors;
- Thermodynamic Properties;
- Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command and Tracking