[Laser] Re:: heliograph vs. laser indeed!

[Charles Pooley]

Chuck Hast <wchast at gmail.com> wrote:
   
  >Perhaps if like minded technical people in other countries want to get
>involved, they can start their own micro launcher groups, I have been
>following this of late, I did not realize that ITAR had you screwed to
>the wall, but perhaps other groups starting up in other countries might
>be the way to do it.
  ----------------
  As I understand, ITAR prevents me from "exporting" technology to noncitizens, and that even means tallking privately with noncitizens above some level of specivity (our famous First Amendment has acquired a major exception).  I still can publish openly, as in a book, website, etc in which all have equal access.
   
  Non-US versions of Microlaunchers?  I'd welcome it.  It would have do be done without my involvement, unless I (we) were to get an export license, but I've always assumed that's too lengthy, complex, expensive a process.
   
  I think the inner Solar System is spacious enough for all.  And anyone doing this will help all and help the "cause"--developing means to explore space in ways other then the massively expensive "collectivist" means now in use.  In future Youtube videos I will be going on and on about this.
   
  Laser questions I've recently been seeing:  
  Cannibalizing a CD/DVD is certainly practical even if you can't get laser data.  Perhaps by analizing a write head (which could have a 50 mw laser in it) could be operated to see the current the laser is running on.  Or operate at 2x the threshold lasing current.  It may be worthwhile conducting a line of discussion re operating write heads.
   
  Also another path could be taken:  
  These lasers are available as OEM parts.  If necessary, buying groups could be organized.  I wouldn't mind being able to buy some of the 405 nm blue ones from Nichion.  But the main interest on my part is for 650 nm up to 30-50 mw.
   
  Or the roughly 3 mw 650 nm ones in the cheapest of the pointers will do.  These are very easy to get, and by noting the running current of these, a driver circuit can easily be built.
   
  On the detector side, I will be experimenting with some of the available APDs and Geiger mode APD's.
   
  Can't right now for budget reasons.  It will await initial financing of Microlaunchers.  Then I will be doing some indoor and outdoor mountan-to mountain experiments here in southwest US.  
   
  Aperture required for this can be 25 mm (beamwidth about 30 microradian).  
   
  Maybe we could have a competition involving the smallest recieve*transmit product of optics diameter over some distance.  The range will be then prportional to receiver optics diameter for a given bandwidth.
   
  Charles Pooley