Imaging lidars for space applications

Abstract

The European Space Agency (ESA)[1] foresees several robotic missions aimed for the preparation of the future Human Exploration of Mars. To accomplish the mission objectives Imaging LIDARs are one of the identified technologies that shall provide essential information to the spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) system. ESA awarded two technology development contracts to two industrial teams for the development and demonstration of novel technologies for Imaging LIDAR sensors. Both teams designed and are manufacturing an Imaging LIDAR breadboard targeting one specific application. The objective of using novel technologies is to reduce substantially the mass and power consumption of Imaging LIDAR sensors. The Imaging LIDAR sensors shall have a mass <10kg, power consumption <60Watt, measure distances up to 5000m, with a field of view (FOV) of 20x20 degrees, range resolutions down to 2 cm, and a frame rate higher than 1 Hz.