Optical assembly including a heat shield to axially restrain an energy collection system, and method

Abstract

Some embodiments relate to an optical assembly that includes an energy collection system that collects energy and a heat shield that axially restrains the energy collection system. The optical assembly further includes a sensor and a structure which supports the energy collection system such that the energy collection system directs the energy to the sensor. Other embodiments relate to a projectile that includes a propulsion system, a guidance system and an optical assembly as described above. Other embodiments relate to a method of directing a projectile that includes collecting energy using an energy collection system; directing the energy to a sensor; axially restraining the energy collection system using a heat shield; using a guidance system to determine the position of the projectile based on data received from the sensor; and directing the projectile toward the destination using a propulsion system that is commanded by a guidance system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.