SBIR/STTR
Novel Solid State Lasers for Space-Based Water Vapor DIAL, Phase I
Project Introduction
Fibertek, Inc. proposes to develop a novel laser source designed to meet the needs of planned space-based atmospheric water-vapor (WV) differential absorption lidar (DIAL) instruments. Our approach is based on frequency doubling the output wavelength of efficient near-infrared (NIR) solid-state laser materials doped with rare earth ions that can be efficiently pumped by high-brightness semiconductor laser diodes. In our Phase I program we will also demonstrate a novel resonator, designed to reduce the pulse width and increase the extraction efficiency on low-gain, three-level laser transitions. Our proposed innovation has the potential for improving the operating efficiency of water-vapor DIAL laser transmitters by about a factor of two compared to current lasers.
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Anticipated Benefits
Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The laser technology to be developed under this SBIR program lays the foundation for an affordable class of space-based remote sensing instruments that are compatible with Earth Venture or ISS-class missions. Because of the lower cost, we expect the frequency of these opportunities to be far greater than those of major missions such as ICESat-2 and those recommended in the decadal study: ACE, ASCENDS, and LIST. EV-class missions also serve as pathfinders for major space-based instruments and thus, reduce the risk for the higher value missions. The technology developed under this SBIR has application for remote sensing of multiple atmospheric species linked to global climate change including methane, water vapor, and potentially carbon dioxide.
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Langley Research Center
(LaRC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Hampton, VA |
| Fibertek, Inc. | Supporting Organization | Industry | Herndon, VA |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Virginia
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Organizational Responsibility
Responsible Mission Directorate:
- Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Lead Center / Facility:
- Langley Research Center (LaRC)
Responsible Program:
- SBIR/STTR
Project Management
Program Director:
Program Manager:
Project Duration
Start: Jun 2015
End: Dec 2015
Technology Maturity (TRL)
| Start: | 3 |
| Current: | 4 |
| Estimated End: | 4 |
Applied Research
Development
Demo & Test
Technology Areas
Primary:
- TX08 Sensors and Instruments
- TX08.1 Remote Sensing Instruments/Sensors
- TX08.1.5 Lasers
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