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Space-Based Infrared Technology Center of Excellence

The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL's) Space Vehicles Directorate combined three of its most important mission technologies into one Infrared (IR) Technologies Center of Excellence (CoE). Consisting of a cluster of related technologies recognized as having both technical excellence and importance to the directorate's mission, this CoE was created to nurture and mature these critical technologies, including backgrounds for space-based IR sensors, strategic IR focal plane detector arrays, and space-based cryogenic coolers. The vision of this CoE is to enable effective and affordable space-based surveillance of space that directly supports one of the directorate's two principal thrusts of space surveillance and protection. 

The IR Technologies CoE incorporates clusters of excellence that are resident in laboratory groups at both Kirtland and Hanscom Air Force Base locations. The group pursuing atmospheric and celestial backgrounds has a long history of modeling expertise in background effects on space-based IR sensors for detecting and tracking missiles. Substantial outside support is received from several Department of Defense (DoD) organizations that create leveraging of Air Force science and technology (S&T) funding. The strategic IR focal plane array (FPA) detector technology development group is one of the DoD's preeminent characterization and development centers for space surveillance systems, and has developed FPAs for all the major space surveillance systems. For cryogenic cooling, the directorate's group is the lead DoD organization for development of cryocoolers and supporting integration technologies. The Air Force and other DoD system program offices look to this group to meet the needs for cryogenic technology for current and future needs. The group's close collaboration with government agencies on joint development programs has significantly shortened the development cycle, leveraged scarce research funding, and eliminated duplication of effort. While each of these three groups brings its own strong legacy and provides a foundation to the CoE, the combination is greater than the sum of each of the parts.

The CoE encompasses a body of missions represented by a niche that partially intersects three broad technology or mission areas: space-based surveillance, ground-based surveillance of space, and IR detection systems. The first mission area, space-based surveillance of space, includes the surveillance from space of resident space objects, detecting and tracking objects (satellites and debris), and identifying, if possible, the functions of these objects. Ballistic missile defense is an important mission with the need to develop technologies for detecting and tracking theater and strategic ballistic missiles from launch to intercept. Also vital is the capability to detect and track near-earth objects such as asteroids. Some specific techniques that might be employed are multi- and hyper-spectral imaging, as well as polarimetric sensing, which are new efforts under way in the CoE. The second broad area is ground-based surveillance of space which is accomplished by AFRL's Starfire Optical Range and the Advanced Electro-Optical System. Placing the constraint of IR detection technologies (the third mission area) on surveillance missions focuses the CoE on the most stressing component of the three areas.

While the focus of the CoE involves the space-based surveillance of space, technologies developed in the CoE have application in other areas of surveillance. Examples include space-based cryogenic cooling technologies, which were developed for space-based surveillance, but could also have "spin-off" application in ground-based space surveillance, in particular for FPAs for hyper-spectral imaging. Similarly, FPAs for detectors developed in the CoE are also used in ground and space applications, but the space based-space surveillance requires the highest degree of technology development. Background models developed to support space-based surveillance also support the design of systems for detection and tracking of missiles from aircraft.

The emerging CoE, while pursuing appropriate S&T, will focus research and development in space environments and backgrounds, FPA, and cryogenic technologies toward common surveillance goals. The CoE will develop and exploit new paradigms, such as the promising trend toward smaller micro-satellites. Together, these focuses will add a new dimension to surveillance for defense applications. The S&T challenges provide the impetus for continued CoE effort in the resident technology area of expertise. For example, multi-band FPAs are required for detecting and tracking the advanced missile warheads for national missile defense and characterizing the orbital and sub-orbital hot and cold bodies in space.

One technical goal is to develop IR FPAs that image simultaneously in two and/or more wavebands, especially required for the lower background levels of interest for space-based sensing. Cold body targets radiate predominantly in the long wave IR spectral region. Infrared FPAs that are sensitive in this spectral region must be operated at very low temperatures (10°K to 30° K). Thus, a second key technical goal is to develop ultra-low temperature cryocoolers that can be operated reliably in space for up to ten years. While past development efforts focused primarily on improved reliability of the mechanical refrigerators, more recent programs have emphasized cryocooler efficiency with marked reductions in overall mass and input power. Cryogenic coolers capable of providing multiple temperature cooling are needed to support future system requirements. Priority is also being placed on the development of improved integration technologies, such as thermal storage units and thermal switches to allow for load leveling and redundancy.

Effective tracking of cold-body and dim targets in the IR spectral region requires the IR signature of the target to be distinguished from the background against which the target is observed. The issue is that the background can mask or mimic the target. Therefore, a third key technical goal is to measure and model the full range of backgrounds, particularly challenging backgrounds, in order to design IR sensor systems which will maximize the visibility of the target signature.

There are some inherent payoffs for the formation of the IR Technologies CoE. First, enhanced and fostered revolutionary changes will take place because of the elimination of historical "stove-pipes" in technology development. This process will also accelerate technology development because of the focus on a specific application with an integrated investment in the development of the technologies. There is a hoped for quantum improvement in capabilities to detect cold objects against the cold background of space. The emerging polarimetry program in the CoE will provide enhanced capabilities in remote sensing and surveillance. One of the long-term goals of the CoE is to work toward space-based surveillance of space, currently a high priority for long-term future capabilities. The CoE will also support the development of national missile defense systems' highest near-term priority, that of resolving "hard targets" issues, including detecting decoys, re-entry vehicles, cruise missiles, and others. The CoE will work to lay the IR detection and tracking technology foundation for future military space systems. 



Written by Dr. Keith A. Shrock of AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate, Space Technology Division, Infrared Technologies Center of Excellence Branch, Kirtland AFB, NM and Hanscom AFB, MA.