Building Space-Based Laser Weapons During America's 'Star Wars' Era

Former Strategic Defense Initiative optical engineer Gary Golnik talks early laser weapon R&D, technical challenges, and the Cold War "laser gap."

An artist’s concept showing a space-based laser weapon. (TRW)

Welcome to Laser Focus, an occasional interview series with subject matter experts in the directed energy space.

Gary Golnik is a retired optical engineer who worked on space-based laser weapons from 1975 to 1999 through defense contractors Pratt & Whitney, TRW, and W. J. Schafer Associates. At…