The Concurrent Artificially-intelligent Spectrometry and Adaptive Lidar System: A new STV sub-orbital capability (CASALS)

The Concurrent Artificially-intelligent Spectrometry and Adaptive Lidar System (CASALS) is a swath-mapping altimetry lidar that employs a novel transmitter and grating method in combination with a state-of-the-art, high-speed, photon-sensitive detector array [1]. Previous NASA altimetry lidars have acquired Earth's surface height measurements in either 1D within single laser footprints or 2D by overlapping footprints along the ground track. Recent lidars have utilized a single wavelength, inhibiting simultaneous observations of bare surface land topography, ice topography, vegetation structure, and shallow water bathymetry. CASALS, enabled by orders of magnitude enhancement of overall photon efficiency compared to current spaceflight lidars, provides 3D swath mapping of Earth surface heights and vegetation waveforms with fine cross-track spatial resolution that are especially advantageous for characterizing the structure of forests. Given this, and the potential to add visible (~520 nm) capabilities to the already existing near infrared (1040 nm) instrument, CASALS is a strong candidate for the lidar measurements desired as part of a future Surface Topography and Vegetation (STV) space mission. The CASALS instrument concept was successfully demonstrated via rooftop testing in Sep. 2024 and airborne flights in Nov. 2024, but the cross-track swath was limited to a width of 50-100 m, the software and some hardware are considered lower fidelity, it only operates at a single wavelength, and no science data processing software exists to demonstrate the science performance. The overall goals of this proposed work, submitted to the STV Technology sub-element, is to (1) increase the CASALS science utility for STV orbital and suborbital activities and (2) reduce the CASALS implementation risk for a future STV space mission through four objectives: 1. Increase the swath width of airborne CASALS to 1 km (assumes aircraft altitude of 10 km), providing the STV community's desired spatial resolution and coverage. 2. Ruggedize the instrument hardware and software for more efficient airborne operations, addressing the lidar-related technology gaps that can reduce SWaP and enable SmallSat solutions. 3. Create CASALS Level 1 and 2 science data products, supporting the Airborne Surface, Cryosphere, Ecosystem, and Nearshore Topography (ASCENT) and STV goal of improving our knowledge and quantifying limitations of the various measurement approaches. 4. Mature visible (i.e., ~520 nm) transmitter capabilities for bathymetry observations as a potential addition to future spaceborne CASALS concepts. The planned milestones and schedule enable a wide-swath, more efficient airborne version of CASALS to fly in the ASCENT campaign in Hawaii during summer of 2027 and matures the CASALS system as a viable spaceborne lidar option for the STV mission. The wide-swath, high fidelity version of the CASALS instrument has an entry TRL of 4, with a planned exit TRL of 6.

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.