High-Performance Advanced Receiver Processor (HARP)

Completed TRL 6 (started at 3, targeting 6)

Description

We are researching and developing a laser altimeter receiver. This receiver will employ multiple shot coincidence detection to maximize ranging capability with minimal laser-aperture size product and hence the cost. The proposed approach will increase the sensitivity of our receivers by a factor of 2. Advanced, high-performance, compact, low-power, on-board processor that increases the sensitivity of the receiver for laser altimetry and similar applications.

The pulse handling, and histogram and analysis functions are implemented in hardware at a high noise rate. Operation: a very large range gate is used to virtually eliminate tracking. At the end of a time period the histogram of the event times is analyzed, the range gate is determined with "20-20 hindsight," and select data is telemetered to the ground.

Benefits

N/A

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	2011-10-01
End date	2015-09-30

Project contacts

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

Wesley A Powell — wesley.a.powell@nasa.gov
Richard B Katz — richard.b.katz@nasa.gov
Igor Kleyner — igor.kleyner-1@nasa.gov
Rafael A Garcia — rafael.a.garcia@nasa.gov
Xiaoli Sun — xiaoli.sun-1@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.