Spectroscopic Lidar for Orbital Measurement of Surface Volatiles

Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)

Description

We plan to develop an approach for a near- to mid-infrared spectroscopic lidar that allows unambiguously quantifying important volatiles on planetary surfaces from orbit regardless of solar illumination.

Benefits

There are important unresolved questions related to the global distribution of surface volatiles on the Moon, Mercury, and other planetary bodies. Often, the regions of greatest interest are in darkness or have varying solar illumination, which precludes or greatly complicates interpretation of passive spectrometry. In contrast, orbital lidar provides uniform surface illumination at the lidar’s laser wavelengths. This enables global spectroscopic reflectance measurements, including in regions of intermittent and permanent shadow.

Details

Technology area	Sensors and Instruments > Remote Sensing Instruments and Sensors > Lasers
Program	Center Independent Research & Development: GSFC IRAD (GSFC IRAD)
Lead organization	Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Start date	2021-10-01
End date	2022-09-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Michael J Amato — michael.j.amato@nasa.gov
Terry A Hurford — terry.a.hurford@nasa.gov
Timothy J Stubbs — timothy.j.stubbs@nasa.gov
Casey I Honniball — casey.i.honniball@nasa.gov
Daniel R Cremons — daniel.cremons@nasa.gov
James B Abshire — james.b.abshire@nasa.gov
Kenji Numata — kenji.numata-1@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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