DARPA POWER Proposers Day Slides.pptx

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) Col Paul “PROMO” Calhoun Proposers’ Day 10/24/2022

Sonobuoys

FOB

SOF

UUV

Unattended Sensors and Effectors

Persistent ISR/EW/ Distributed SAR

Ground Autonomy

Ocean energy harvesting

Energy Web Dominance – Resilient distribution of battlespace energy

Distributed, resilient , multi-input, multi-output power, multi-path energy beaming network Generate power where it is safe and efficient to do so and distribute it into contested areas Enable persistent operation of a new generation of distributed unmanned systems, sensors, and effectors

Status Quo in Military Energy Transport – Platform Centric

Supply Need Transport

Limited time on station, High risk, Exotic platform

Fuel transport requires linear energy transactions that are easily disrupted.

Energy transport relies on large, slow platforms that require significant infrastructure

Barriers

In sanctuary energy is moved through fixed infrastructure.

Barriers threaten traditional energy transport methods

< $10

< $50

>> $500

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) POWER-enabled future of military energy – Network Centric Supply Transport Consumption

Resilience through multipath adaptability Energy beamed from abundant, secure sources to high altitude nodes Efficient relay nodes transport through multipath, adaptive network

Small, attritable platforms conduct missions in contested area with indefinite persistence.

POWER Final Demo and Program Metrics

Program Metrics Range: 200 km Delivered Power: 5kW Relay Harvest Power: 1kW Receiver Aperture: < 1m High power enabled by efficient relays Long range enabled by high altitude Persistence enabled by harvesting Safety and efficiency enabled by precise redirect High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility (HELSTF) ??Detailed View of the relay??

POWER will develop a relay system to deliver energy into contested environments.

POWER will demonstrate scalable relays that enable long distance high performance power beaming.

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) Power Beaming Technologies

Conventional Power Beaming Conventional power beaming with large apertures could achieve high power and long-range but has limited utility for small platforms State of the Art: Point to Point Power Beaming Low efficiency/range in dense lower atmosphere Bespoke systems that are not scalable Pointing challenges mitigated by static systems at short range

State of the Possible: Relays with energy conversions Low efficiency conversions destroy energy throughput Airborne lasers low efficiency lead to thermal issues

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) POWER: Relay Enabled Scalable Power Beaming POWER: 5kW over 200 km using apertures <1m

Enabled by:

High altitude transfer Efficient relays Beam correction Energy harvesting for persistence Precision redirect ensures safe, efficient operation

Converging Technologies make POWER feasible now

HELSTF ready for POWER Current 50kW-class lasers, adaptive optics, and beam directors, enables POWER’s Final demonstration Safety systems have already been demonstrated to manage laser clearing house and local safety

POWER

Scaled System Other key areas for transition High efficiency band gap tuned Photovoltaics Advanced atmospheric modeling Ubiquitous high power directed energy systems Electrification of the battlespace Beam path monitoring for safety

State of the Art maximum high beam quality laser power (M2<2)

Single Mode Watts 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 1E-3 2E-3 0.02 0.05 0.2 0.5 3 6 10 20 40 50 60 70 120 300 Laser Power Output, kilowatts

POWER related efforts funded by DARPA Some teams have already begun work on the development of POWER technologies.

BEAM

Glint

Oxford Defense

Freedom Photonics

HEL-NET

POWER : Technical Challenges Beam quality provides trade with aperture size at range Active correction keeps apertures small

2. Correct

1. Redirect Relay losses drive network efficiency and thermal challenges Precise redirect enables safe, high altitude, high performance transfer

3. Harvest Selective harvesting power from the beam enables persistence Off-boarding power enables small plentiful platforms Redirect a high powered beam, Correct that beam to maximize photons on target, and Harvest energy.

http://www.irisao.com/technology.html

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) TC1(Redirect): Approach – Efficiently point inbound photons in new direction Metrics: (1) Efficiency (2) Safety (3) Field of Regard (4) Pointing Accuracy (5) Speed (6) SWAP Required Technologies to Maximize Energy Throughput:

Overall throughput should be as high as possible – methodologies to optimize this are highly desirable Safety is critical: All systems must be calibrated, monitored, and fully functional prior to firing the HEL Lightweight Optics Aerodynamic enclosures - for platforms at 60,000ft Field of Regard must be large Beacons are expected to maximize speed and safety of the link (not mandated) Pointing accuracy must be tight! (~1 urad at 100km) Fast Acquisition: Flight paths and hand-off maneuvers must be coordinated to permit lengthy on-time High-Power Laser on-time must be maximized (system power availability >90%) Novel Systems Integration – put old and new tech to use in new ways that help solve this problem Back-channel communications for link establishment Thermal dissipation High CW laser energy tolerance for concentrated beams Incoming Beam Re-directed beam Re-direct the beam:

Lightweight Optics Beam Steering Recommended reading:

Beam Control for Laser Systems, Second Edition Paul Merritt and Mark Spencer Reflective and Transmissive beam steering technologies exist that can permit hyper-hemispherical field of regard

It will be helpful to see these topics covered in the proposal

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) TC2(Correct): Approach – Achieve needed beam quality for long distance links Metrics: (1) Beam Quality (2) Effectiveness (3) Safety (4) SWAP Enabling Technologies:

High-speed correction to the beam is needed Wavefront sensing (or other technologies / methodologies that offer similar results) Adaptive Optics: Prepare the beam for aero-optic boundary layer effects and long-range propagation for high energy density at the receiving node, up to 100km away Will the approach require changes to the wavefront to enable efficient operation at short range? If so, those changes must be integral to the function of the system (not requiring user adjustment).

Coordinated and seamless integration – Beam measurements and corrections are an important part of beam steering and tracking Converging Beam Re-focused beam Correcting the beam:

Adaptive optics Wavefront sensing Ground to Air

Image at upper right extracted from HEL-NET May 2022 briefing

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) TC3(Harvest): Selectively use part of the beam for ownship power Metrics: (1) Efficiency / Thermal Management (2) Dynamic Range (3) SWAP Enabling Technologies:

Employ efficient methods of utilizing some of the main beam power Throttleable harvesting methods Passive harvesting methods of waste photons Havesting induced losses to primary beam Harvesting of variable intensity sources Selection of existing energy conversion methods Single wavelength PV Thermal energy harvesting Beam harvesting can often produce stray light: this must be well understood for safety reasons – where is that light going?

Mitigate the coherence speckle of laser light, and its affect on energy recovery

Beam Pick-off

Even LED light (above) will show speckle patterns that can deteriorate efficiency of a receiver

This effort is NOT a novel energy harvesting technology development exercise

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) Relay Platform Optimization Task

Novel designs enabled by offboarding power generation and most storage

Emphasize low cost platforms to enable resilient network

Balance power required by the relay platform with system performance (e.g. speed)

Integrate relay payload to maximize the field of regard

Quantify maximum power throughput and harvesting capability

Explore design tradespace for adding missions capabilities beyond energy relay such as comm/data link or ISR

Explore methods for multiplexing

Desired inputs for the proposal Link Budget that discusses or addresses:

Novel methods or technologies that will maximize delivered power Aperture sizing study/ plan Pointing accuracy Aircraft Jitter Optical link uptime given field of regard, acquisition time, etc.

Beam correction methodologies Beam distortion sensing Relay harvesting methods Beam correction methodologies Throttleable harvesting of primary beam power

Architecture that discusses or addresses:

Any additional safety challenges planned to integrate with the HELSTF safety management Thermal management Scaling challenges to increase power beyond planned inputs Field of regard Size Weight and Power considerations Communications

Nominal POWER Program plan

FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 FY27 FY28

Major Milestones

Award

BAA

Phase I Phase II

Phase III

Performers will reach a preliminary design review

Perform trade studies on the design space for novel system designs Develop early risk reduction campaigns while maturing integrated relay design Conduct System Requirements Review for specific design Laboratory Demonstrations of high risk technologies Conduct clean sheet conceptual design of an optimized relay platform

Performers will conduct a low-power airborne demo

Mature design from PDR to CDR design Update Conceptual design for optimized relay platform Integrate relay with air platform for low-power demonstration Ensure adequate verification of requirements

Will conduct high-power, long-range demo

Design changes as needed to finalize production efforts Build multiple relay payloads for multihop demonstration Validate system performance through open air demonstrations

PDR

CDR

Demo Final Demo

TRR

POWER: Phase 2 Demo POWER: Phase 3 Final Demo

Phase 3 Demonstration facility Range has approx. 60km x 160km of controlled airspace 50kW class laser power on-site Wavelength between 1.03um and 1.08um Beam director with aperture ~60cm (can be adjusted somewhat, if desired) on-site Other beam directors with different aperture sizes may be available at the time of the Phase 3 demo Adaptive Optics: by the time of Phase 3 demonstrations, the facility is anticipated to have additional options for adaptive optics beam corrections

HELSTF at White Sands Missile Range

Map from Google Maps HELSTF Images from WSMR:HELSTF website

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited (DISTAR 37056) Global Hawk is baseline host for demonstration payload Candidate for GFE, Government Org w/ 27 available High Altitude Highly configurable internal bays Payload Capacity Wing Pylons – 500lbs, max diameter ~30” Zone 25 – 700lbs, table sizing

Global Hawk Info

*Data provided by TRMC, Skyrange Program*

Energy Web Dominance:

Transforming energy flows in the battlespace

How can we adaptively deliver military effects by ensuring energy availability at the point of need in contested environments?

Optimize energy flows by establishing flexible and resilient wireless energy distribution networks.

Invest in electromagnetic and optical power transfer architectures for high value use cases while building towards a larger energy web framework.

Technical Challenges:

Energy conversion efficiency High density energy storage for added flexibility Narrow beam forming and tracking

New in our approach:

Low loss reflective relays High altitude laser power beaming Relay enabled network Innovative platform designs leveraging off-board energy generation and storage

Deliver energy to the tactical edge through adaptive and resilient multipath networks

Power fits into larger energy web vision www.darpa.mil image1.png image10.png image11.png image12.png image13.png image14.png image15.png image16.svg image17.png image18.png image19.png image3.png image4.png image5.png image6.png image7.png image8.png image9.png image27.jpeg image28.jpeg image29.jpeg image30.png image31.jpeg image32.png image33.jpeg image34.jpeg image35.png image36.png image37.svg

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