The expected NASA application is as a major part of the Ground-based Telescope Assembly. Parts of this Assembly not addressed in our program are the pointing system and the optical receiver. However, although our program does not directly address the pointing system, we expect that the cost of the pointing system will be reduced by application of the technology to be developed under our program because the telescope weight carried by the pointing system will be reduced. The main expected advantages of using the technology developed in our program, compared to other possible approaches, is much lower weight and cost of the telescope subassembly. It is possible that this technology would also apply to the flight receivers for optical communications on future NASA spacecraft. The technology applies to non-NASA commercial laser communications, as well as other laser systems such as laser beam expanders, fiber collimators, and laser receivers. Likely specific applications are to laser rangefinders, target markers, and target designators for the Department of Defense.
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