A shuttle scanning laser altimeter for topographic mapping

Abstract

The shuttle scanning laser altimeter is an instrument, currently under development at JPL, capable of producing a three-dimensional elevation map of the topography along a wide swath beneath a spaceborne platform. Operating on the same principle as radar (broadcast of a short pulse of radiation and timing the reception of an echo) the very narrow beamwidths and high pulse rates of modern lasers would allow a significant breakthrough in the areal resolution capability of altimeters. Specifically, the copper vapor laser currently available and planned for use would provide 50 meter horizontal and 3 meter vertical resolution over a 10 kilometer continuous swath or, in a snapshot mode, a 50 kilometer square area.