Existing Challenges for Laser Uses

Kurzfassung

The usage of high power lasers in space enables a great variety of beneficial use cases ranging from space situational awareness, space debris collision avoidance and removal to laser propulsion and asteroid deflection. On the other hand, significant challenges still exist which have to be addressed in the context of research and development as well as from the end user perspective and from a legal viewpoint. An overview is given on 8 relevant challenges regarding the possible use of high power lasers in space: target outshining, target destruction, weaponization, beam pointing jitter, pointing failure, weather constraints, accidental foreground / background irradiation, hazardous reflections.