Starfire Optical Range

<h2 id="purpose">Purpose</h2>
<p>The purpose of Starfire is to conduct research to use <a href="/facts/Adaptive_optics/D1vWeHK0">adaptive optics</a> to remove the effects of <a href="/facts/Scintillation_(astronomy)/M5v7RJj6">scintillation</a> (<a href="/facts/Atmospheric_turbulence/NpgFUhG5">atmospheric turbulence</a>).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>  Turbulence interferes with laser beam integrity over distances.  Lasers are being used for long-distance high-bandwidth communications and accuracy in air-to-air laser connectivity is important for data integrity.
</p><p>Scintillation is also a problem in development of weaponized lasers, such as the <a href="/facts/Airborne_laser/e62CcrRl">airborne laser</a> being developed to intercept <a href="/facts/Intercontinental_ballistic_missiles/0vKnj2Y7">intercontinental ballistic missiles</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/North_Oscura_Peak/WgBH3zYE">North Oscura Peak</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/List_of_the_largest_optical_telescopes_in_the_contiguous_United_States/HtKKhw4R">List of the largest optical telescopes in the contiguous United States</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.afrl.af.mil/RD/">Official SOR website</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/starfire.htm">Starfire Optical Observatory page at globalsecurity.org</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Broad, William (2006-05-03). "Administration Researches Laser Weapon". The New York Times. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/washington/03laser.html?ex=1304308800&en=d3975f5fa334c2ec&ei=5088" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/washington/03laser.html?ex=1304308800&en=d3975f5fa334c2ec&ei=5088</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Starfire Optical Range open-in-new

Starfire Optical Range