A PULSED CO2 LASER FOR SPACE APPLICATION IN REMOTE ATMOSPHERIC SENSING

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SPACE QUALIFIABLE PULSED CO2 LASER SYSTEM FOR REMOTE SENSING OF THE ATMOSPHERE IS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM MADE MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF PRESENT PULSED CO2 (TEA) LASER CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS HIGH OPERATING VOLTAGE, LOW EFFICIENCY, AND RELATIVELY SHORT LIFE EXPECTANCY UNDER SEALED CONDITIONS. THIS PROJECT EXAMINES THE FEASIBILITY OF APPLYING A UNIQUE LOW-VOLTAGE, COMPACT, EFFICIENT, LONG-LIFE PULSED CO2 LASER SYSTEM FOR APPLICATION IN A SPACECRAFT ENVIRONMENT. THE LASER WILL BE BASED UPON THE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY USED IN PRESENT LASERS WHICH EMIT MORE THAN 3J PER PULSE WITH A DISCHARGE VOLTAGE OF +1.4 KV AS OPPOSED TO ABOUT 40 KV FOR EQUIVALENT TEA LASERS. THE PRINCIPALS WILL BUILD UPON NEW TECHNOLOGY TO STUDY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SEALED LASER SYSTEM CAPABLE OF EMITTING SEVERAL JOULES WITH VOLTAGES LESS THAN +2000 V IN A LIGHT AND COMPACT CONFIGURATION WITH LIFETIME AND EFFICIENCY WHICH EXCEEDS THOSE OF EXISTING TEA LASERS. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WILL BE USED TO ESTABLISH THE OPTIMUM DESIGN OF A PROTOTYPE LOW-VOLTAGE, PULSED CO2 LASER FOR SPACECRAFT APPLICATION WHICH COULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE REMOTE SENSING OF THE ATMOSPHERE.