Aerospace applications of optical sensing with lidar

Remote optical sensing with lasers, known as lidar, has been shown to be a useful technique for civilian meteorological and environmental applications. Recently, the potential of lidar for addressing applications of interest to aerospace systems has been recognized. Ground-based lidars are ideally suited for the calibration of instruments onboard satellites. Other aerospace applications include monitoring the impact of launch vehicles upon the environment. Future systems are envisioned carrying lidars for atmospheric characterization. In this paper we will discuss briefly the lidar technique, outline important aerospace applications for which lidar is ideally suited, and describe the mobile lidar system under construction at The Aerospace Corporation.