TRL-6 Cross-Cutting Water Vapor and Methane DIAL Transmitter

Characterizing the complex three-dimensional structure of water vapor in the troposphere from process (e.g., clouds, land atmosphere feedback, etc.) to global scales (convective organization and synoptic flow) with high vertical resolution and accuracy remains an unmet grand challenge called for by many disparate communities and consensus reports. Similarly, rising atmospheric methane concentrations make it a particularly attractive target for climate mitigation strategies, as it has a radiative forcing equivalent to that of CO2 over a 20-year time horizon due to its much greater warming potential but shorter atmospheric lifetime. Changes in land-atmosphere carbon exchange happen across a range of space and time scales, from individual oil and gas extraction wells to urban areas to large ecosystems (e.g., boreal and tropical wetlands). The current space-based PoR provides a wealth of information on the spatial distribution of these two important molecules but lacks the sensitivity and accuracy to constrain key processes across these vastly different scales, across diurnal and seasonal cycles, and across different latitudes. Space-based differential absorption lidar (DIAL) fills a unique observational gap and compliments the current passive program of record by providing accurate (direct), dense coverage, and high-resolution observations in scenes that have historically challenged passive sensors (e.g., high aerosol loading, between and through broken cloud fields, high latitudes, and low sunlight conditions). To overcome this observational gap, NASA Langley Research Center has been advancing technologies through the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Lidar PathfindEr (ABLE) project to enable the first space-based DIAL measurements of water vapor profiles throughout the troposphere with cross-cutting capabilities to measure attenuated backscatter profiles, distributions of PBL height, precipitable water vapor, and surface weighted water vapor (XH2O), as well as methane columns (XCH4). Under the ABLE project we have advanced critical DIAL transmitter subsystems to TRL-5 by increasing 1532 nm pump diode efficiency from ~20% to >38% with flight compatible conductive cooling interface, increased the average power of the Er:YAG laser transmitter by 2x compared to the HALO airborne transmitter to achieve ~12 W of output power with near 4% electrical-to-optical efficiency, and developed a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) seed laser with flight compatible electronics in a conductively cooled housing with <25W power consumption. We propose here to build on the TRL-5 DIAL transmitter subsystems developed under the ABLE to TRL-6 through the development of engineering demonstration units (EDU) based on the ABLE designs and by carrying out flight qualification campaigns including shock, vibration, thermal vacuum, and radiation testing on the limited non-flight hardened electrical components. The period of performance is 24 months and the entry and exit TRL for the space-based laser transmitter subsystem (e.g., pump diodes, pulsed laser, seed laser) is 5 and 6, respectively.

Increase scientific understanding of natural phenomena using remote sensing.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — 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.