Ultra-Compact Transmitter for Space-Based Lidar

Fibertek, Inc. in partnership with researchers at the Pennsylvania State University Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D) are proposing to develop a state of the art, space-qualifiable laser transmitter that meets the requirements of the flash lidar transmitter defined in the 2016 STTR subtopic T9.01, Navigation and Hazard Avoidance Sensor Technologies. The design will be an innovative synthesis of key technologies that results in a >3x reduction in the size and weight and a >2x increase in the efficiency of the laser transmitter previously developed for the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) demonstrator program . These key technologies include incorporation of additive manufacturing techniques to develop a much lighter weight mechanical structure, an ultra-compact unstable or near stable ring resonator that achieves a large fundamental mode, higher efficiency diode-pumped head designs that incorporate compact athermal pump architectures, and compact and efficient electronics designs derived from the environmentally hardened versions previously developed for DOD and NASA programs.