Feasibility demonstrations using one to two meter telescopes have confirmed the utility of laser beacons as wavefront references for adaptive optics systems. Laser beacon architectures suitable for the new generation of eight and ten meter telescopes are presently under study. This paper reviews the concept of laser guide star adaptive optics and the progress that has been made by groups around the world in implementing such systems. A description of the laser guide star program at LLNL and some experimental results is also presented.
Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics: Present and Future
