Accommodations assessment: Spaceborne Doppler lidar wind measuring system

Abstract

An accommodations analysis performed by the MSFC Preliminary Design Office for a spaceborne Doppler lidar wind measuring system is summarized. A dedicated, free-flying spacecraft design concept is described. Mass and beginning-of-life power requirements are estimated at 2260 kg and 6.0 - 8.5 kW respectively, to support a pulsed, CO2, Doppler lidar having a pulse energy of 10 J, pulse rate of 8 Hz, and efficiency of approximately 5%. Under the assumptions of the analysis, such a system would provide wind measurements on a global scale, with accuracies of a few meters per second.