Laser Weapons In Space A Critical Assessment

Is the DOD pursuing the correct investment strategy for space-based high-energy lasers? Recent advances in lasers, optics, and spacecraft technologies may bring high-energy laser weapons to a sufficient level of maturity for serious consideration as space weapons against the theater ballistic missile threat. An important question is how these dramatic technology improvements have affected the strategic employment concepts for high-energy laser weapons. This study presents a comparison of competing space-based architectures given the progress made with high-energy lasers, large optics, and atmosphere compensation techniques within the past several years. Since the current Airborne Laser program utilizes only airborne assets, it is not part of this study. Three space-based architectures are evaluated against the ballistic missile threat: space-based lasers, ground-based lasers in conjunction with orbiting mirrors, and a combined approach using space-based lasers with orbiting mirrors. The evaluation criteria include the technology risks and the estimated development and deployment costs. Also, technology development programs are described for each of the architectures to address the high-risk areas. The results of this study suggest that the most technically sound and cost efficient architecture is space-based lasers with orbiting mirrors because this approach reduces the total weight and therefore cost on-orbit as well as the overall technical risks.