ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS, LLC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: S4

Description

<p>The need for a space qualified Flash LIDAR that can be configured without significant requalification for Sample Capture, EDL and other GN&amp;C activities has become clear, furthermore improvements is SWaP will enable more applications.&nbsp; To meet the need for a cost effective, compact LIDAR for multiple missions, ASC is proposing to leverage the high TRL design of the OSIRIS-REX LIDAR, but redesign the layout of the electronics and mechanical system into a system architecture that it is easily configurable and significantly more compact.&nbsp; The Ultra-Compact Modular Flash LIDAR (UCML) developed under this effort could be retested for environments to maintain a high TRL so that it can be easily adopted by a wide range of missions with minimal requalification. &nbsp;The redesign would also allow for an interchangeable optics module that can be designed with a mission specific Field of View (FOV).&nbsp; The mechanical system would also be designed to interface with multiple laser modules and be significantly lighter and more compact.&nbsp; Currently ASC is producing lasers for space missions from 0.5 mJ to 18 mJ with wavelengths of 1064nm and 1570nm and has demonstrated energies up to 60mJ.&nbsp; The resulting LIDAR could be as small as 5&rdquo;x5&rdquo;x6&rdquo; and could be configured with lasers up to 60mJ with virtually any FOV(F)Vs of 1 to 180 degrees have been demonstrated).&nbsp; The new LIDAR would be more robust and significantly easier to manufacture reducing cost and schedule risks to future NASA programs</p>