The Adaptive Optics Revolution: A History

Index

439 INdex AAS. See American Astronomical Society Abercrombie, Neil, 295 ABL. See Airborne Laser ABLE ACE. See Airborne Laser Extended Atmospheric Characterization Experiment ABLEX. See Airborne Laser Experiment ABL Star. See Airborne Laser Star Abrahamson, George, 260, 268, 402n63 Abrahamson, James A., 174–79, 186, 189, 436n1 Abreu, Rene, 302–3, 307; on AEOS, 304 ACT. See Advanced Concepts Testbed (ACT) Active Ranging System (ARS), 214 actuators, 36–37, 42–44, 49, 53, 58, 106–7, 109, 126, 138, 144, 183, 247, 252, 267, 270–71, 290–92, 303 Adaptive Optics Associates, 75, 105, 159, 216 adaptive optics feasibility model, 32 ADONIS. See Air Force Maui Optical Site Daytime Optical NearInfrared Imaging System Advanced Concepts Testbed (ACT), 228 Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS), 62, 277, 298, 373n55, 409n37; Abreu on, 304; acceptance of, official, 307; advantages of, 283; construction of, authorization for, 292; cost of, 283, 297, 304; dedication ceremony for, 295–97, 297; dome, 300; dual buy plan for, 302; dual-use concept of, 284; environmentalist objections to, 288; factory acceptance testing, 303–4; first light, 299–300, 301; first picture of, 294; foundation, 287, 289; funding for, 282–83, 286; goal of, 299; groundbreaking of, 292; image quality of, 307; inspection of, 306; maintaining, 306–7; as national treasure, 297; operation of, 306; praise for, 296; precontractual work for, 284; problems with, 304–5; reasons for building, 281; religious leaders objections to, 288; responsibility of, 278, 279, 285; schematic of, 288; software package for, 302–3; specifications for, 284; specifications for, preliminary, 285; technical issues of, 302–3; testing of, 306; turnkey adaptive optics system for, 302, 306, 428n75 Advanced Radiation Technology Office (ARTO), 238 Advanced Reconnaissance System, 9 | Index 440 Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), 1, 15–17, 22, 26, 32, 49, 57; creation of, 11; establishment of, 1; funding for, 14; future needs and, 13; goals of, 12; imaging at, 16; nontraditional research and, 13; responsibilities of, 12. See also Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Advanced Solar Telescope, 280 Advanced Tag Team Phase 1 Experiment, 73 AEOS. See Advanced Electro-Optical System Aerospace Defense Command, 15, 58 Aerospace Federally Funded Research and Development Center, 120 AFRL. See Air Force Research Laboratory AFSPC. See Air Force Space Command AFWL. See Air Force Weapons Laboratory AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, 115, 175 Airborne Laser (ABL), xvii, 72, 193, 202, 207–35, 373n55; in attack scenario, 214; battle-management system, 207–8; beam control/fire control system for, 208, 212, 218; checks/ balances on, 228; conformal mirror of, 212; contractors, 206–7; critics of, 232; delays in, 207; development of, 204; final engineering integration phase of, 207; lasers making up, 215; management of, 406n9; as primary boost phase defense element, 206; primary mirror of, 213; “revolutionary potential” of, 206; safety and, 210; schematic of, 208; scintillation limit on, 221; second generation, 205–19; skeptics of, 226; test flight of, 208–9; tests aboard, 218; validation of, 231 Airborne Laser Experiment (ABLEX), 220–25, 228, 232, 234; Clear1 model, 221; flight experiments, 221; funding of, 221; scaled experimentation of, 223; success of, 226 Airborne Laser Extended Atmospheric Characterization Experiment (ABLE ACE), 224–28; conclusions of, 226, 234; critics of, 232; goal of, 225; predictions, 225; success of, 226 Airborne Laser Laboratory (ALL), 21, 91, 114–15, 175, 193, 203; flight-testing, 72–73; shortcomings of, 224; watercooled mirrors of, 212 Airborne Laser Star (ABL Star), 232–35; success of, 234 air density refractive index, 17 Air Force, 343; Avionics Laboratory’s Reconnaissance Division, 63; CIA and, relationship between, 10; CORONA role of, 29; Defense Support System, 279; Materiel Command, 147–48; Project, 120; reputation of, 167; scientific reputation of, 110; space object identification mission of, 340; space situational awareness mission of, 318; Systems Command, 59, 62, 110, 147–48, 150, 174, 283–84 Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site (AMOS), 280–81, 306, 341, 345 Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS), 126, 130, 370n21; Large Optical Facility Testbed, 282; managing, 280; opening of, 278–79; operating, 280; telescope upgrades at, 281–82 Air Force Maui Optical Site Daytime Optical Near-Infrared Imaging System (ADONIS), 308–9 Index 441 Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), xvii, 23, 42, 148, 228, 280–81, 319, 339 Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), 110, 224, 319–20, 324, 329 Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), 58, 150, 278, 280, 282, 412n1; 1st Space Control Squadron, 279, 422n7; operational needs of, 307...