{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":34781,"title":"Compact and Highly Efficient Multi-Purpose Laser, Year 1","startTrl":2,"currentTrl":3,"endTrl":3,"benefits":"ASCENDS, DWAN, Lunar and Mars Landing missions. Advanced infrared lasers for a wide range of applications from medical to military, and from telecommunication to manufacturing.","description":"Many future NASA sensors will employ lasers to measure parameters of the atmospheres and surfaces of Earth and other planets, and to assist navigation and operation of space vehicles and aircraft. These sensors would benefit tremendously from increases in efficiency and laser power, with corresponding decreases in mass and power budgets. A new laser concept capable of generating relatively high pulse energies with over an order of magnitude higher efficiency and about a third of the mass of current lasers is being developed. Conventional solid-state lasers can generate high pulse energies but suffer from low efficiency. Fiber lasers offer optimal efficiency, but they cannot produce required pulse energies for most NASA applications. A novel hybrid fiber/solid state laser for generating relatively high pulse energies with over an order of magnitude higher efficiency and about a third of the mass of current lasers is proposed. High spatial and spectral beam quality of the laser can improve the instrument sensitivity and precision. The new laser architecture can be implemented at any of the fundamental wavelengths of 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 microns. The successful demonstration of this novel laser will profoundly affect the design of all infrared lasers for a wide range of applications from medical to military, and from telecommunication to manufacturing. Due to much reduced power, size, and mass, this laser will allow for significant cost saving in deployment of instruments in space thus creating new opportunities for Earth and planetary observation systems.","startYear":2013,"startMonth":9,"endYear":2014,"endMonth":9,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":506168,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Farzin","lastName":"Amzajerdian","fullName":"Farzin Amzajerdian","fullNameInverted":"Amzajerdian, Farzin","primaryEmail":"f.amzajerdian@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":335305,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Michael","lastName":"Lapointe","fullName":"Michael R Lapointe","fullNameInverted":"Lapointe, Michael R","middleInitial":"R","primaryEmail":"michael.r.lapointe@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":392233,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Richard","lastName":"Howard","fullName":"Richard W Howard","fullNameInverted":"Howard, Richard W","middleInitial":"W","primaryEmail":"richard.w.howard@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":506560,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Julie","lastName":"Williams-Byrd","fullName":"Julie A Williams-byrd","fullNameInverted":"Williams-Byrd, Julie A","middleInitial":"A","primaryEmail":"julie.a.williams-byrd@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":54314,"projectId":34781,"partner":"Other","transitionDate":"2014-09-01","path":"Advanced To","details":"FY15 CIF (new Tier 2)","infoText":"Advanced within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program","dateText":"September 2014"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"LaRC CIF","active":true,"description":"
Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities within the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at NASA Langley Research Center.
Through the Independent Research and Developments activity, NASA Langley Research Center allocates funds to invest in early stage, high-payoff technologies and systems that are aligned with the NASA and Langley strategic plans and have high potential for future applications.
Some projects will align only with either CIF or IRAD support, but many are supported by a combination of both programs to leverage the most from limited resources. The investment in these early stage technologies is intended to mature them to the point that, if successful, they can substantially influence future Mission Directorate programs and projects, and receive follow-on support from NASA programs, external partners, or through commercialization.
","parentProgram":{"acronym":"CIF","active":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
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