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Lab: Directed Energy Directorate
Category: Space Science Technology
3550 Aberdeen Ave. SE
Kirtland AFB, NM, 87117-5776
Phone: 505-846-2707 ext.
Fax: 505-846-5034 |
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The Starfire Optical Range is a world-class optical research facility operated by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, located on a hilltop site (6,240 feet above sea level) in the southeastern portion of Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The primary mission of the Range is to develop optical sensing, imaging, and propagation technologies to support Air Force aerospace missions.
Primary experiments consist of using adaptive optics to perform real-time compensation of aberrations induced by the atmosphere. Pioneering research in laser guide star adaptive optics was performed at Starfire. Other research is conducted in space object imaging, advanced tracking, non-linear optics, and atmospheric physics.
The laser guidestar technique involves a laser fired toward space. Portions of that laser beam reflect back to earth, providing scientists with information on the distortions caused by the atmosphere. Adaptive optics is then used to correct for the distortion. The Range has produced improvements greater than a factor of 25 over conventional astronomical imaging and demonstrated that artificial beacon technology can virtually eliminate turbulence-induced distortions. The adaptive optics technology developed at the Range is of great interest to astronomers and could revolutionize ground-based optical astronomy. Efforts are ongoing to transfer much of this technology to the worldwide astronomical community.
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