Publications Details
Reactor-pumped laser facility at DOE's Nevada Test Site
The Nevada Test Site (NTS) is one excellent possibility for a laser power beaming site. It is in the low latitudes of the U.S., is in an exceptionally cloud-free area of the southwest, is already an area of restricted access (which enhances safety considerations), and possesses a highly-skilled technical team with extensive engineering and research capabilities from underground testing of our nation's nuclear deterrence. The average availability of cloud-free clear line of site to a given point in space is about 84%. With a beaming angle of ±60° from the zenith, about 52 geostationaiy-orbit (GEO) satellites could be accessed continuously from NTS. In addition, the site would provide an average view factor of about 10% for orbital transfer from low earth orbit to GEO. One of the major candidates for a long-duration, high-power laser is a reactor-pumped laser being developed by DOE. The extensive nuclear expertise at NTS makes this site a prime candidate for utilizing the capabilities of a reactor pumped laser for power beaming. The site then could be used for many dual-use roles such as industrial material processing research, defense testing, and removing space debris.