Boeing Provides Air Force With Laser for Detailed Images of Objects in Earth’s Orbit

Boeing Guidestar laser

The Air Force Research Laboratory is using a Boeing-built sodium guide star laser that enables scientists to acquire detailed images of objects in the Earth’s orbit. 

Boeing announced Tuesday that the laser is installed on 3.5 meter telescope at the Kirtland Air Force Base’s Starfire Optical Range.

AFRL Principal Investigator Dennis Montera said the laser and other improvements on the telescope “will make it possible for us to reliably obtain satellite images with more accurate and precise details than ever before.”

Under the AFRL’s Innovative Research and Optical Support Services contract, Boeing is meant to improve the site’s capability in atmospheric compensation, laser communications, and other technical areas.

Aside from the laser, Boeing has provided the Starfire Optical Range telescope with improved adaptive optics to measure the blurring effect caused by the Earth’s atmosphere.

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