Abstract: A three-loop inertial stabilization system with active jitter suppression and optical control to reduce line-of-sight (LOS) jitter based on platform induced motion in cantilevered gimbal systems. A first loop comprises at least one rate sensor, a Kalman state estimator, and a rate to angle module. A second loop comprises a mirror system, a focal plane and centroid processing module, an open-loop closed loop selector, a signal combiner and a loop integrator. A third loop comprises a fast steering mirror, offload module and at least one gimbal motor driver, wherein the three loops suppress the jitter of the cantilevered gimbal system.

Abstract: A nutation controller and methods of use correct for the small, fixed offset inherent in laser communication systems referred to as pointing bias error, thereby removing the pointing bias error and allowing for more robust and rapid laser communications between distant platforms.

Abstract: A method to slew a gimbal axis in an infrared countermeasures system (IRCM) comprising the steps of driving the motors up to the peak currents allowed by the servo amplifiers, moving the profile generator from firmware to software for design flexibility, forcing high torque by manipulating the angle waveform sent to hardware, measuring friction during acceleration of each slew, providing a dynamic rate limit for receding or advancing angle goals is presented in this application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for transmission loss comparison.On embodiment of the present invention compares the transmission losses through optical paths through a first solution and a second solution. This embodiment includes first and second light sources for transmitting light through the first and second solutions. Also provided are first and second light detectors corresponding to the first and second light sources, and comparison means for comparing the outputs of the two detectors in order to determine which solution is darker.In addition, this embodiment includes a common gain balance configuration means for calibrating the relative gain of the two light detectors in order to compensate for signal differences between each source/detector path arising from various mechanical or optical factors. Further included is a dark solution compensation bias to compensate for differences between each source/detector path arising from spectral differences between the two light sources.