Enhanced precision pointing jitter suppression system

Space based defense systems, such as a Space Based Laser (SBL), and space based surveillance systems share a common objective: extremely high resolution Line of Sight (LOS) target imaging. In order to achieve the mission objectives, their beam control subsystem must provide precise LOS pointing and tracking capabilities with suppression of LOS jitter. Draper Laboratory has developed concepts and instrumentation that address these needs based upon a stabilized inertial platform mechanization that holds a collimated light source, called the Inertial Pseudo Star Reference Unit (IPSRU). This paper describes the original IPSRU design and a design concept for a new High Performance version of the IPSRU system (HP-IPSRU) that meet the jitter stabilization needs of the SBL. The IPSRU provides an inertially stabilized optical probe beam that provides a precise pointing and tracking reference with nanoradian jitter performance. The IPSRU serves as a master reference for stabilizing imaging and weapon system pointing and tracking. This paper describes the IPSRU system, its measured error allocation and integrated performance. It presents the error budget required to achieving the 5 nrad rms jitter stabilization performance projected to be necessary for an operational Space Based Laser system. A conceptual design for the HP-IPSRU is presented.