Adaptive ladar receiver control using spatial index of prior ladar return data

Disclosed herein are examples of ladar systems and methods where data about a plurality of ladar returns from prior ladar pulse shots gets stored in a spatial index that associates ladar return data with corresponding locations in a coordinate space to which the ladar return data pertain. This spatial index can then be accessed by a processor to retrieve ladar return data for locations in the coordinate space that are near a range point to be targeted by the ladar system with a new ladar pulse shot. This nearby prior ladar return data can then be analyzed by the ladar system to help define a control parameter for use by the ladar receiver with respect to the new ladar pulse shot.