Optical Obstacle Avoidance System for Lunar and Mars Landing

The systems developed at fibertek for Obstacle-Avoidance has so far all been operated at 1560nm. Such an operation is required due to the required eye-safety constraint. This wavelength range has so far shown reduced efficiency to a 30% optical-optical efficiency in the last stage of optical amplification in the fiber based transmitter we have developed. For space applications, we believe a highly efficient transmitter will be required with associated optical receiver technology. We propose here to develop a highly efficient, very versatile transmitter based on Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifiers. Associated with this transmitter we will demonstrate a coherent detection system allowing for both range and velocity measurements during space vehicle landing. The technology required for the transmitter/receiver and scanning is at TRL 5. A successful Phase II STTR should allow for field testing bringing this TRL to 6.