Commercial applications are focused on two distinct markets that can greatly benefit from harsh environment imaging viewing and instrumental process monitoring. The first is the Imaging/Viewing market that focuses on providing the means to effectively visually monitor inside the boundaries of thermal, chemical, vacuum and pressure systems. Vision is a global, but critically important monitoring process useful for general and specific understanding of visible processes. Optical processing is typically focused on a specific optically detectable parameter, such as temperature, spectroscopic information, or active optical probing, and is used for more direct process control. Optical processing is widely used for automated processes; there is already an established market that can be accessed with superior technology such as that proposed.
The primary application associated with this program is viewports on Venus probes, however there are many potential applications within NASA and commercially. NASA applications include research facility applications as well as vehicle and probe viewports. Vehicle applications include viewports that allow camera access to monitor vehicle status and operating condition, vehicle surface condition and temperature, and the vehicle's external environment. Camera access to vehicle operation through viewports has been critical for NASA's public relations throughout its history. Probe viewports allow the probe (and its operators) to interact optically with the probes environment, allowing the continued success of many missions. Dazzling photos of other parts of the solar system are responsible for significant support for NASA's activities. Non-technical, but important applications of viewports include sales efforts, employee morale, and accident/insurance investigations.
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