Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for obtaining compact, high beam-quality imaging systems for use within a spherical housing of a sensor ball of a given size. Primary and secondary mirrors may be positioned or adapted for positioning within a spherical housing of a sensor turret or sensor ball having a window. Two or more fold mirrors may direct an optical path from the primary and secondary mirrors to one or more detectors or cameras. One or more beamsplitters may be included to produce two or more optical channels for simultaneous imaging. The beamsplitter may be a beamsplitter cube having field correction structures. Embodiments may have high beam quality and may be diffraction-limited with relatively wide fields of view (FOV). A cold shield may be included that reduces MWIR or LWIR reflections at a MWIR or LWIR focal plane array. A laser illumination or designation system may be included.

Abstract: Methods and systems for three-dimensional imaging through turbulence such as produced by the Earth's atmosphere are described. A first light source may direct an output of pulses to a target through atmospheric turbulence. A first image sensor, for example a time of arrival sensor or focal plane, may receive light from the first light source and may be used to record two-dimensional images or image slices of the target. A second light source may also be used. A second image sensor may receive light reflected from the target. An atmospheric point spread function may be derived or calculated by a means for multiframe blind deconvolution from one or more images of the target received at the second image sensor. The point spread function may be used to deblur or improve the resolution of each of the two-dimensional image slices from the first image sensor. The two-dimensional image slices may be combined to form a three-dimensional image of the target.