Abstract: A scanning wide-field telescope includes a primary reflecting mirror and a corrector assembly. The corrector assembly corrects light beams for spherical aberration imposed on the light beams by the primary reflecting mirror. The corrector assembly is located between the primary reflecting mirror and a viewing end of the telescope, and is configured to move to multiple optical focal points of the primary reflecting mirror.

Abstract: A multiple instrument distributed aperture sensor (“MIDAS”) science payload system mounted on a spacecraft, including a spacecraft interface ring affixing the MIDAS science payload system to the spacecraft, and a multiple telescope array (“MTA”) further including a mechanical subsystem further including an optical bench, an optical subsystem mounted upon the mechanical subsystem collecting light and merging the light into a passive, actively-sensed or hyperspectral image, and a laser subsystem providing laser illumination for collecting active remote sensing data. The MIDAS science payload system also includes a hexapod in physical communication with and between the spacecraft interface ring and the mechanical subsystem.

Abstract: An interferometer for nulling a broad range of wavelengths is provided. The interferometer includes a beamsplitter, a first mirror and a second mirror. Incoming radiation is split by the beamsplitter into a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal, which are reflected by the first mirror and the second mirror, respectively, back to the beamsplitter, where they are combined to form an output signal. The interferometer further includes a first plate disposed between the beamsplitter and the first mirror and a second plate disposed between the beamsplitter and the second mirror. The first plate and the second plate have the same refractive index and thickness. The first plate is disposed perpendicular to the direction of the first sub-signal, and the second plate is disposed at an angle ? to the direction of the second sub-signal. The beam dispersion caused by the tilt of the second plate attenuates the amplitude of a broad range of wavelengths in the output signal.

Abstract: A scanning wide-field telescope includes a primary reflecting mirror and a corrector assembly. The corrector assembly corrects light beams for spherical aberration imposed on the light beams by the primary reflecting mirror. The corrector assembly is located between the primary reflecting mirror and a viewing end of the telescope, and is configured to move to multiple optical focal points of the primary reflecting mirror.

Abstract: A multi-aperture imaging system for continuous dwell imaging of complex extended scenes which are not required to contain localized point sources. The multi-aperture imaging system includes a plurality of subaperture telescopes, each of which collect image data of an instantaneous field of view of an extended object scene within a field of regard of the imaging system. The image data collected by each subaperture telescope is transferred by respective optical delay paths to a beam combiner which combines all the image data in coherent fashion to form a single high resolution image of said object scene at a focal plane of the beam combiner. The subaperture telescopes are optically phased using phase diversity techniques which include using a phase diversity sensor located at the focal plane of the beam combiner to detect wavefront errors in the collected images.

Abstract: A non-deviating prism system (40) and method provides continuously variable dispersion of light with limited deviation. Light is dispersed in a prism arrangement which includes a selected liquid filled in the spaces between adjacent prism elements (41, 51). The indices of refraction and the apex angles of the prisms (41, 51) and the intervening liquid are set to limited deviation according to predetermined relationship. The prisms are mounted near the edges of mutually insertable tubes (62, 64) and a refractive liquid is secured in a containment space bounded by the prism elements (41, 51).

Abstract: A color corrector having a liquid lens with abnormal dispersion characteristics is coupled axially to an achromatic optical system to reduce its residual color errors. The color corrector is positioned along the axis between the entrance pupil of the achromatic lens system and the image plane.

Abstract: Design forms are disclosed for lens triplets comprising a liquid lens element, which are well-corrected for chromatic aberration over a broad wavelength band extending from the ultraviolet region through the visible region into the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A non-deviating prism system (40) and method provides continuously variable dispersion of light with limited deviation. Light is dispersed in a prism arrangement which includes a selected liquid filled in the spaces between adjacent prism elements (41, 51). The indices of refraction and the apex angles of the prisms (41, 51) and the intervening liquid are set to limited deviation according to predetermined relationship. The prisms are mounted near the edges of mutually insertable tubes (62, 64) and a refractive liquid is secured in a containment space bounded by the prism elements (41, 51).

Abstract: Optimized design forms are provided for glass-liquid lens triplets for use as telescope objectives having reduced secondary spectrum. Each lens triplet comprises an abnormal-dispersion liquid lens element contained between two normal-dispersion glass lens elements. The glass lens elements are made of readily available and relatively inexpensive optical glasses. The liquid lens element in each lens triplet consists of a commercially available viscous supercooled liquid of abnormal dispersion, which is transparent to optical radiation at visible wavelengths without freezing at temperatures in a range from about -50.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C.

Abstract: A catadioptric zoom relay telescope whose refractive elements are made from only a single type of optical glass focuses all wavelengths in a broad infrared bandwidth onto a common focal plane with diffraction-limited imagery throughout a changing focal ratio (i.e., a zoom range) from less than f/1.5 to more than f/6.0.

Abstract: A catadioptric zoom relay telescope with an aspherical primary mirror and only three movable lens elements focuses all wavelengths in a broad infrared bandwidth onto a common focal plane with substantially diffraction-limited imagery throughout a changing focal ratio (i.e., a zoom range) from less than f/1.5 to more than f/6.0.

Abstract: A family of achromatic lens triplets and an apochromatic lens triplet are described, each of which consists of a fluidal liquid lens element (viz., Cargille 550206 liquid) contained between a Schott BK 7 glass lens element and a Schott F2 glass lens element.

Abstract: A technique is described for designing color-corrected lens systems using liquid lens elements to achieve compatibility with glass or crystal lens elements for obtaining color correction at three or more wavelengths.

Abstract: An all-reflective optical system for providing illumination of a target focal region at high numerical aperture from a pair of confluent collimated light beams. The collimated beams are each incident upon an associated concave eccentric pupil paraboloidal reflective surface, and thereby each focused through an opening in an associated outer ellipsoidal reflective surface onto a plane reflector. Each beam is reflected by its associated plane reflector onto the opposing concave surface of the outer ellipsoids to be focused through an opening in the plane surface onto an opposing inner concave ellipsoidal reflective surface, and thence onto the target region.

Abstract: A pair of light beams is directed to provide illumination that is substantially uniform from all directions on a small target by a system comprising a pair of corrector windows, a pair of planar reflecting surfaces, a pair of paraboloidal mirrors and a reflecting mirror cavity. The components are arranged so that each of the beams passes through a corrector and is reflected from the planar surface to the paraboloidal mirror, from which it is focused through a hole in the planar surface to the interior of the cavity. The surface of the interior portion of the cavity is shaped to reflect the focused beam three times before the focused reflected beam strikes the target.

Abstract: An all-reflective optical system for providing illumination of a target focal region at high numerical aperture from a pair of co-axially, confluent collimated light beams. A target cavity is defined by a pair of opposed inner ellipsoidal reflectors having respective first focal points within a target region and second focal points at a vertex opening in the opposing reflector. Outwardly of each inner reflector is the opposed combination of a spherical reflector, and an outer generally ellipsoidal reflector having an aberrated first focal point coincident with the focus of the opposing spherical reflector and a second focal point coincident with the second focal point of the opposing inner ellipsoidal reflector through a vertex opening in the spherical reflector. The confluent collimated beams are incident through vertex openings in the outer ellipsoidal reflectors onto respective opposing spherical reflectors.

Abstract: A Cassegrain telescope with spherical primary and secondary mirrors and a corrector plate located between the focal point and the center of the radius of curvature of the primary mirror. The secondary mirror is located between the focal point and the vertex of the primary mirror and the image surface is beyond or behind the vertex of the primary mirror.