2010 IIP Projects Awarded

This proposal builds on a uniquely strong capability for ASCENDS that we have developed over the past 8 years, and the latest laser technology from industry. Our pulsed lidar approach measures column absorption at two wavelengths in a common nadir path. It views nadir from orbit and continuously measures the energies of the laser echoes reflected from the Earth’s land and water surfaces. The pulsed laser transmitters for CO2 and O2 are rapidly step-tuned across atmospheric CO2 and O2 absorption lines near 1572 nm and 765 nm respectively. The time resolved laser backscatter is detected and time gating is used to isolate the echo pulses from the surface and to minimize errors from atmospheric scattering. Our technique uses tunable diode laser sources, Er-doped fiber amplifiers and photon sensitive detectors. Simulation studies show our technique can furnish the measurements needed to map CO2 concentrations with the needed spatial and temporal resolution, and will meet or exceed the ASCENDS requirements.

Our proposed work will advance the key remaining components (ie the technology tall poles) needed for measurements from space: the laser power amplifiers and sensitive solid-state detectors for the CO2 measurement. We will leverage and adapt new high performance components and subsystems, which were developed for other government and DOD customers, for this work. These include mature laser power amplifier stages, already being developed for space use by Raytheon, and highly sensitive solid-state HgCdTe APD detectors developed by DRS Technologies. These both have high TRLs and meet or exceed the component requirements for ASCENDS. We will also leverage telescope and space optics being developed for the ICESat-2 lidar receiver. Our proposed work will adapt them for this program and evaluate their performance in lab tests. We will also demonstrate them in high altitude (10-13 km) airborne measurements using simulated space lidar geometries. The result will be refined, demonstrated and lower cost instrument technology allowing the ASCENDS space lidar development within a normal 3-4-year period.

Our team includes researchers from NASA-Goddard with space lidar experience, and lidar technology leaders from the defense industry. One co-investigator is actively involved in carbon related research and atmospheric CO2 transport. Our prior work has addressed many aspects of the measurement, has improved our technique and technologies, and has highlighted a number of potential error sources common to all laser approaches. These include influences of atmospheric scattering, transport and various error sources in the instrument. The relationships between the instrument, calibration approach, orbits, transport, and accuracy are interrelated. We are now performing science mission definition and flux recovery simulations, which tie the measurement approach and instrument and technology specifications to the science mission. Through prior investments from the ESTO IIP program, we have developed breadboards and a high performance airborne CO2 lidar. We have successfully demonstrated CO2 column density measurements from aircraft on two campaigns at 3-13 km altitudes, and also demonstrated measurements through thin clouds and to cloud tops. We have made open path measurements of O2 over a horizontal path for months. A 3rd airborne campaign will occur during July 2010, where we will demonstrate improved CO2 measurements and demonstrate O2 absorption measurements.

Three key component technologies must be developed to meet SMLS science requirements:
1.Superconducting (SIS) mixers and
2.Low Noise Amplifiers/Spectrometers (addressed by 2005ACT:NNH05ZDA001N
and 2007IIP:NNH07ZDA001N); and
3.Four-meter antenna required for 1-2 km vertical resolution (addressed by 2006SBIR:NNC07QA69P and this research)

Our research will demonstrate critical azimuth scanning capability of a 4m SMLS antenna and its performance under thermal load environments. The research consists of three 1-year efforts:
The first year will begin with thermal-gradient testing of a full-height breadboard SMLS primary reflector, recently delivered from the SBIR, in JPL’s Advanced Large Precision Structures (ALPS) facility. We will simulate the impact of deformations on SMLS geophysical products. We will also fabricate a full-sized primary reflector meeting figure requirements at 640GHz.

The second year will focus on fabrication of a breadboard antenna to validate our performance predictions, and to demonstrate manufacturability. This structure will accommodate breadboard components including optics developed in the 2007 IIP.

The third year will involve further tests of the full breadboard antenna in ALPS and RF measurements in a near field range (also at JPL). This testing will retire critical risks associated with the SMLS antenna.

In its 3-year period of performance this program will advance the technology of the SMLS antenna from TRL 3 to a planned exit TRL 5.

In this research, we will develop a multi-line SWIR detector and readout-integrated circuit (ROIC), outfit it with miniaturized SWIR spectropolarimetric filters, and integrate it into the IIP-07 telescope. A SWIR detector with the required layout, speed, and noise performance was beyond the scope of our IIP-07 effort and does not exist. The 12 Mpix/sec readout rate, at the required low noise level, is 100 times faster than the current state of the art in the SWIR. To achieve this, JPL will modify the high-speed/low-noise Si-CMOS ROIC we developed for UV/VNIR operation and partner with Teledyne, who will fabricate a HgCdTe detector array and hybridize it to the ROIC. The resulting technology, to be flight tested as AirMSPI-2, will add 1595, 1875 and 2130 nm bands (including polarimetry at 1595 nm) to existing AirMSPI capabilities.

This research addresses IIP-10 objectives by (a) significantly reducing development time of a Decadal Survey Tier 2 mission (ACE) by maturing needed SWIR technologies prior to release of the Announcement of Opportunity, (b) minimizing risk associated with enabling new Earth observations, (c) developing an airborne system that supports pre-launch ACE priorities, and (d) advancing the TRL of SWIR camera operation from an entry level of 3 to an exit level of 6. The period of performance is 3 years.

The broad bandwidth of this instrument allows flexibility in the number of frequencies used to measure Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), a primary goal of SCLP. Potential improvements in the estimation of SWE and its spatial/temporal variability have significant implications for hydrologic modeling and water resources management on a global scale. The wideband approach can also mitigate RFI by selecting non-interfering channels. The innovative manufacturing method for the wideband antenna reduces the size and weight of the payload, adds additional functionality, and allows cost/power to remain relatively unchanged.

The entry technology (8-40 GHz feed) is currently at TRL 3 for this application. We plan to bring the wideband feed/reconfigurable radar/radiometry payload, to an exit TRL of 6 for airborne applications. We will demonstrate the wideband feed and payload in both a ground and airborne demonstration during a 30 month period of performance. The first year demonstrates the compatibility of an existing wideband feed (2-18 GHz) with multiple existing radars to measure SWE of documented snow. In the second year, a wideband (8-40 GHz) passive array will be fabricated and integrated with a reconfigurable payload (SAR/radiometer). During the third year, flight tests on the NASA P3 and data reduction with new algorithms will demonstrate the science benefits of a wideband feed with reconfigurable payload.

EcoSAR will employ a digital beamforming architecture, a highly capable digital waveform generator and receiver system, and advanced dual-polarization array antennas with an interferometric baseline of 25 m on the NASA P3 aircraft. The end result will be a first of its kind highly reconfigurable polarimetric and interferometric P-band SAR instrument deployable on a proven platform and capable to accurately characterize ecosystems and quantify biomass.

The Entry TRL for the proposed system is 3. It is expected that the TRL of the whole system, as well as its main elements, be at 6 at the completion of the work when the EcoSAR performs two flight campaigns.

1. The detectors and readouts meet all signal-to-noise and speed specifications.
2. The scan mirror, together with the structural stability, meets the pointing knowledge requirements.
3. The long-wavelength channels do not saturate below 480 K.
4. The cold shielding allows the use of ambient temperature optics on the HyspIRI-TIR instrument without impacting instrument performance.

The PHyTIR system will be a complete end-to-end laboratory system. The system will utilize an existing Read-Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) that has been developed as part of the HyspIRI Concept Study. The ROIC will be mated with the detectors and filters, all located inside PHyTIR. The scanning mechanism will operate at the same speed as the HyspIRI-TIR instrument and have the same pointing knowledge requirements.

It will take approximately two years to build PHyTIR, and one year to test it. This effort will significantly reduce the risk associated with the TIR instrument for the HyspIRI mission. Results from PHyTIR will be available in the appropriate timeframe for implementation in HyspIRI.

PHyTIR will advance the technology readiness level of the Thermal Infrared Instrument on HyspIRI from an entry level of TRL 4 to an exit level of TRL 6.

The proposed studies improve hyperspectral imaging capabilities for spaceborne and suborbital Earth and climate studies, addressing specific Decadal Survey measurement goals. This 3-year project beginning May 2011 will create a 350-2300 nm hyperspectral imager utilizing solar cross-calibration techniques from a current IIP with expanded measurement capabilities and data acquired from suborbital flights. HySICS will:

– Utilize a flight-heritage detector
– Incorporate direct solar and lunar observation capabilities for calibration purposes
– Address data acquisition solutions
– Pass environmental tests
– Acquire representative solar and Earth scene data from two high-altitude balloon flights

Covering the entire spectral region needed for shortwave Earth remote sensing with HySICS’s single detector array promises mass, cost, and size advantages over comparable current technologies.

The long-term balance between Earth’s absorption of solar radiative energy and emission of radiation to space is addressed in the NRC Decadal Survey’s CLARREO mission to obtain “climate benchmarks” through on-orbit SI-traceability. The HySICS is intended to achieve unprecedented radiometric accuracies required for climate studies via direct observations of both incoming and outgoing shortwave radiances. A polarization insensitive design plus polarimetry capabilities help achieve CLARREO radiometric accuracies needed for climate benchmarking and cross-calibration. HySICS is also applicable to ACE aerosol, cloud, and ocean color studies, suborbital validation of current (MODIS, MISR) and future (VIIRS) imagers, and suborbital studies of high-interest geographic regions (polar ice, volcanoes, urbanization). Proposed measurements of lunar reflectances will validate the HySICS in-flight calibration approach, and improve and extend the existing lunar reflectance spectral database, thereby assisting other instruments’ lunar calibrations.

The HySICS TRL entry is 3 and exit 6, readying this shortwave radiometer for launches on CLARREO (2017) and ACE (potentially 2020).

We will develop a complete, testable “brassboard” of the PATH 183 GHz radiometer. It will consist of 9 modules of 16-element 183 GHz receivers with high gain antennas. In addition there will be a low-gain array of three arms of 16 receivers each at the same frequency. The IF signals from the receivers will be processed by a correlator board which will utilize a 128×128 input full-size custom ASIC with integral 2 bit digitizers operating at a 1-GHz clock rate. The system will be mounted on a thermal/structural support made of carbon reinforced plastic. Thermal management will be demonstrated with commercial heat pipes. The system will achieve TRL 6 with the thermal testing of a 16 element tile over typical flight levels, along with controlled imaging tests of the system while perturbing the heat input along one arm, simulating the orbital thermal environment.

With this three-year brassboard system development we will buy down cost and risk of a space mission and enable rapid mission development.

This 3 year effort includes mission and system requirements definition, sensor assembly integration and performance testing, environmental testing, and two NASA DC-8 campaigns. Calibrated laboratory and flight data will be used in state of the art trace gas retrievals to assess the coupled sensor and algorithms ability to achieve the GEO-CAPE measurement objectives. The entry TRL is 3 and the exit will be 6 for airborne and 5 for spaceflight. Hardware will be available for further trade studies, continually informing the mission requirements definition.

The objective of this IIP is to advance the technological readiness level (TRL) of the Multi-slit Offner Spectrometer technology. This technology, employed in a geostationary remote sensing payload, can accomplish the ocean color mission with a small package, fast revisit time, and high SNR by producing hyperspectral images at multiple positions simultaneously.

During this three-year IIP, we propose to build a prototype Multi-Slit Offner Spectrometer that meets the requirements for the GEO-CAPE Event Imager mission (a Tier II Earth Science Decadal Survey mission). We will raise the technology readiness level (TRL) from TRL 3 to TRL 6 by subjecting it to launch vibration levels, and characterizing its performance in an operational thermal vacuum environment. In addition, we will perform several studies, which demonstrate the Multi-Slit Offner Spectrometer capability to produce coastal products required for GEO-CAPE.

The benefits of a Multi-Slit Offner Spectrometer are clear. It can produce hyperspectral imagery from both US Coasts at a spatial resolution of 375 m in less than 54 minutes, while maintaining a 1000:1 SNR in a payload of only 147 kg (33 cm aperture). In contrast, a conventional spectrometer requires a payload of 550 kg (72 cm aperture). The smaller payload reduces both risk and cost for the mission.

The proposal includes an extraordinarily strong team with close ties to ongoing ASCENDS development efforts and a cost effective research plan that leverages significant prior investments to deliver a GlobalHawk (GH) compatible laser absorption spectrometer (CarbonHawk) demonstrating measurements required for the ASCENDS mission. The team will use the Multifunction Fiber Laser Lidar (MFLL) from our ongoing ASCENDS activities; new technology from ongoing NASA technology development efforts; and a full physics model of the updated fiber-laser-based instrument to investigate atmospheric effects (cloud/aerosol influences, surface reflectivity, etc.) on active sensing of CO2 mixing ratio measurements. Extensive ground testing of the CarbonHawk instrument components and subsystems followed by airborne demonstrations will validate the instrument model and quantify the system performance to reduce risks for space application of the CarbonHawk system.

During phase 1 of the project, the MFLL will be enhanced by adding a cryogenically cooled high bandwidth detector subsystem, multiple transmitters (including an O2 transmitter and a novel fiber seeder plus amplifier) and hybrid encoding for cloud/aerosol desensitization. In phase 2, the power-aperture product of MFLL will be further increased by addition of multiple telescopes and advanced avionics signal processing architecture will be demonstrated.

Based on the lowest TRL components the entry TRL is 3. This ACES project delivers a GH-compatible version of the MFLL (CarbonHawk) advanced to an exit TRL of 5 in three years.

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and Northrop Grumman Corporation Electronic Systems (NGES) have developed an innovative approach, minimizing size and weight, with a shared aperture that builds upon ESTO’s investments into large-aperture reflectors and utilizes high-TRL radar architectures. We propose to advance the system technology readiness level of two key antenna system components: a) a novel dual-band reflector/reflectarray and b) a Ka-band Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) feed module. The benefits are 100 km Ka swath imaging and significant reductions in ACE space payload size, weight, and cost.

Our proposed work and methodology entails a dual-frequency antenna comprised of a primary cylindrical reflector/reflectarray surface illuminated by a fixed W-band feed (compatible with a quasi-optical beam waveguide feed, such as that employed on CloudSat) and a Ka-band AESA line feed. The highly innovative reflectarray surface provides beam focusing at W-band, but is transparent at Ka-band. Over a three-year period of performance, we propose to design, build,environmentally test, and demonstrate a scale model of the dual-frequency antenna, culminating in a suborbital test flight demonstration using the GSFC Cloud Radar System and raising the reflector/reflectarray TRL from 3 to 6. Finally, we plan to advance the AESA feed design towards a space demonstration via development and testing of key GaN MMIC components,raising that TRL from 3 to 4+.

The objective of this IIP is to advance the PanFTS TRL from 4 to 6. The first TRL advancement is to build and operate a flight size PanFTS engineering model (EM) that addresses all critical scaling issues and demonstrates operation over the full spectral range of the flight instrument (0.26 μm to 15 μm). The second technology advancement is to make simultaneous UV-Vis and IR measurements under space flight like environmental conditions (thermal-vacuum at 180 K). This will demonstrate that critical design requirements have been achieved such as optical alignment stability, interferometer modulation efficiency, and low instrument background emission in the IR. This is essential to reduce flight instrument development risk and show that the most vital element of the PanFTS, the interferometer design, is mature and ready to be implemented in a flight instrument.

The three year development of a PanFTS EM will build on the many successful PanFTS breadboard IIP developments which have the characteristics required for the EM including the instrument architecture for panspectral measurement, the high precision, long life, cryogenic optical path difference mechanism (OPDM) and the high-speed, high precision digital output FPAs. All of these advanced technologies from the PanFTS breadboard will be incorporated into the EM along with other ESTO funded technology developments. The EM will tie together several component technologies in a system level instrument capability demonstration to meet the objectives of the IIP and the measurement capability requirements for the NASA Earth Science community.