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Starfire Optical Range

January 01, 1970

Starfire Optical Range (SOR - Pronounced as an initialism) is a United States Air Force research laboratory on the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Its primary duty, according to the official website, is to "develop and demonstrate optical wavefront control technologies." The range is a secure lab facility and is a division of the Directed Energy Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The Starfire Optical Range, as viewed from a helicopter.
Three green lasers being fired at a single spot in the sky from the Starfire Optical Range.
A FASOR used at the Starfire Optical Range for LIDAR and laser guide star experiments is tuned to the sodium D2a line and used to excite sodium atoms in the upper atmosphere.

SOR's optical equipment includes a 3.5 meter telescope which is "one of the largest telescopes in the world equipped with adaptive optics designed for satellite tracking" according to the Air Force, a 1.5 meter telescope, and a 1-meter beam director.

Purpose edit

The purpose of Starfire is to conduct research to use adaptive optics to remove the effects of scintillation (atmospheric turbulence).[1] Turbulence interferes with laser beam integrity over distances. Lasers are being used for long-distance high-bandwidth communications and accuracy in air-to-air laser connectivity is important for data integrity.

Scintillation is also a problem in development of weaponized lasers, such as the airborne laser being developed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles.

According to an article published on May 3, 2006, in The New York Times, research is being conducted at the laboratory into how to use ground-based lasers to disable satellites; that is, as an anti-satellite weapon.[1]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Broad, William (2006-05-03). "Administration Researches Laser Weapon". The New York Times.

External links edit

  • Official SOR website
  • Starfire Optical Observatory page at globalsecurity.org

34°57′51″N 106°27′45″W / 34.9643°N 106.4626°W / 34.9643; -106.4626


 

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January 01, 1970
starfire, optical, range, pronounced, initialism, united, states, force, research, laboratory, kirtland, force, base, albuquerque, mexico, primary, duty, according, official, website, develop, demonstrate, optical, wavefront, control, technologies, range, secu. Starfire Optical Range SOR Pronounced as an initialism is a United States Air Force research laboratory on the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque New Mexico Its primary duty according to the official website is to develop and demonstrate optical wavefront control technologies The range is a secure lab facility and is a division of the Directed Energy Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory The Starfire Optical Range as viewed from a helicopter Three green lasers being fired at a single spot in the sky from the Starfire Optical Range A FASOR used at the Starfire Optical Range for LIDAR and laser guide star experiments is tuned to the sodium D2a line and used to excite sodium atoms in the upper atmosphere This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Starfire Optical Range news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2023 SOR s optical equipment includes a 3 5 meter telescope which is one of the largest telescopes in the world equipped with adaptive optics designed for satellite tracking according to the Air Force a 1 5 meter telescope and a 1 meter beam director Contents 1 Purpose 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksPurpose editThe purpose of Starfire is to conduct research to use adaptive optics to remove the effects of scintillation atmospheric turbulence 1 Turbulence interferes with laser beam integrity over distances Lasers are being used for long distance high bandwidth communications and accuracy in air to air laser connectivity is important for data integrity Scintillation is also a problem in development of weaponized lasers such as the airborne laser being developed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles According to an article published on May 3 2006 in The New York Times research is being conducted at the laboratory into how to use ground based lasers to disable satellites that is as an anti satellite weapon 1 See also editNorth Oscura Peak List of the largest optical telescopes in the contiguous United StatesReferences edit a b Broad William 2006 05 03 Administration Researches Laser Weapon The New York Times External links editOfficial SOR website Starfire Optical Observatory page at globalsecurity org 34 57 51 N 106 27 45 W 34 9643 N 106 4626 W 34 9643 106 4626 nbsp This United States military article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Starfire Optical Range amp oldid 1172122542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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