Date of Award

3-1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

First Advisor

William E. Wiesel, PhD

Abstract

The Anti-Ballistic missile Laser (ABL) Project is committed to defense against attack from enemy-launched Theater Ballistic Missiles using an airborne laser platform to disable an enemy missile in the boost phase of launch. Wielding a laser of this power and scope requires that no collateral damage be caused by laser energy which may escape from the theater of engagement. The most likely track of such a laser would pose a significant threat to space-based assets. The Predictive Avoidance algorithm is designed to predict the path of a given laser firing sequence, and perform real-time forecasting of, and deconfliction with, the ephemerides of a given set of satellites. The primary goal is to establish the theoretical framework of this algorithm. The secondary goal of this thesis is to develop a modular software package that can, with minor modifications, be incorporated into the fire-control system of ABL to perform real-time forecasting within given time and error budgets. This software takes the form of a Preprocessor, that filters the active satellites to determine which satellites are in view, and the Main Processor, which analyzes the satellites that are in view. The Main Processor determines whether any of the satellites in view will intersect the laser beam while it is illuminating a target.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GSO-ENY-99M-09

DTIC Accession Number

ADA361667 and ADA361668

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

Thesis originally published in two parts.

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