Project Selections for IIP-23

11 Projects Awarded Under the Instrument Incubator Program (IIP)

10/14/2024 (edited 10/21/2024) – NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, has selected proposals, for the Instrument Incubator Program (A.53 of the 2023 Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences omnibus solicitation) in support of the Earth Science Division (ESD). The IIP-23 will provide instruments and instrument subsystems technology developments that will enable future Earth science measurements and visionary Earth-observing concepts.

The Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) supports the development of innovative technologies for new Earth observing instruments, sensors, and systems in support of Earth science. The technologies and measurement concepts developed under the IIP may extend through to field demonstrations, with a longer-term aim for infusion into future ESD research, applications, and flight programs.

The goal of the IIP is to promote innovation in the research, development, and demonstration of new measurement technologies that:

NASA received and evaluated 61 proposals of which 11 have been selected for award, with and one additional proposal classified as selectable for funding. The total dollar value over a three-year period is approximately $52 million. The awards are below (note that these project descriptions are the original abstracts provided by the principal investigators, prior to peer review).

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Rydberg Airborne Instrument Demonstration (RAID)
Darmindra Arumugam, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

We propose to demonstrate an airborne instrument that uses Rydberg atoms and satellite signals of opportunity (SoOp) with multiple frequencies to study dynamics and transients of the vertical profile of land surface wetness (LSW). LSW is quantified by measurements of the vertical profiles of soil moisture content (SMC) and vegetation water content (VWC), addressing key science needs in land surface hydrology (LSH).

The SoOp signals with multiple frequencies spanning VHF/I-K bands provide sensitivity to different penetration depths and water state variables, and removes the requirement for spectrum allocation to actively transmit for science. This enables broad-spectrum remote sensing that is not feasible conventionally due to differing types and size of antennas and RF electronics needed in classical radars. The Rydberg atomic remote sensing technique leverages work in a prior NASA funded programs (IIP-ICD and NIAC Phase 1 and 2), using Quantum Rydberg Receivers (QRR) to enable a high sensitivity, dynamically tunable, and ultra-broad-spectrum radar system. The Rydberg Airborne Instrument Demonstration (RAID) instrument concept vastly improves the existing radar capability to study dynamics and transients of the Earth system by enabling a single-detector-based measurement covering the entire ‘radio window’ (0-30 GHz) in a small form-factor architecture. This novel technology has the potential to enable multi-science applications covering various bands and applications on a single platform, including in focus areas of planetary boundary layer (PBL), surface topography and vegetation (STV), surface deformation and change (SDC), and sub-surface structure and change (SSC). The most significant advantages of the proposed technology are that it enables a (1) highly sensitive, (2) dynamically tunable ultra-broad-band radar system that (3) does not require band-specific antenna or componentry, and (4) has a compact form-factor.

The objective of this proposal is to develop an instrument technology demonstration that uses multi-satellite and multi-frequency signal of opportunity (SoOp) to measure dynamics and transients of the vertical profile of LSW. The benefit of this concept is that it dynamically retrieves the vertical profiles of VWC and SMC from canopy to deep-rootzone using collocated detection from VHF/I-C bands, which are sensitive to variables including canopy water content, vegetation water content, as well as near-surface and deeper root-zone soil moisture. We include an exploratory focus to study multi-frequency (VHF/I-K bands) topography in connection with a future potential Surface, Topography, and Vegetation (STV) mission. The proposed instrument design leverages recent advances in QRR for remote sensing, to include techniques for microwave dressing of the atoms, coherent processing of atomic data, and coupling of Rydberg sensors to broadband focusing reflectors as well as integrated resonators. These advances enable us to realize ground validation in Year 1, followed by a flight integration and test in Year 2, and two science flights as part of a technology demonstration in Year 3.

RAID is composed of two QRR systems (pointed at nadir and zenith), each coupled with resonators and a broadband reflector, as well as complete atomic physics instrumentation to retrieve the vertical profiles or SMC and VWC. In addition, RAID will include two classical receivers to provide reference measurements and validation at a single band. Primary bands addressed are SoOps at 137MHz/260MHz/360MHz/1.5GHz/2.3GHz/3.9GHz (I/P/L/S/C bands), however RAID will also demonstrate measurements at multiple higher frequencies at 12.4/18.5/20.7GHz (Ku/K bands). The concept has an entry level TRL of 3, with many critical components and subsystems at a considerably higher TRL. We will raise to TRL 5 over the 3-year effort (period of performance is October 2024-September 2027), in preparation for a space demonstration starting in FY28.

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DEMETER: DEMonstrating the Emerging Technology for measuring the Earth’s Radiation – Advancing Technology Readiness Level to 6
Anum Ashraf, Langley Research Center

Earth’s Radiation Budget (ERB) is the most fundamental measurement of the climate system. It describes how radiant energy is exchanged between Earth and space and how it is distributed within the climate system. Changes in ERB determine the rate at which Earth heats up or cools down and can lead to shifts in atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns and greater frequency and intensity of extreme events (flooding/drought/etc.). The Instrument Technology Maturation effort proposed herein will advance technology and further readiness of an innovative approach to provide seamless continuity of ERB measurements from present to future.

The CERES instruments we depend upon for observing ERB are well past their design lifetime, and Libera, the current Program of Record, is an unproven design which will attempt to replicate the antiquated CERES concept of operations. This current paradigm of historical instruments flying on large satellite platforms (Terra/Aqua/JPSS) is no longer a future option. To extend and preserve the ERB record started in 2000 by CERES, there is a critical need to develop a novel, low-risk, low-cost, and sustainable solution for observing ERB measurements. Such technology needs to mature and overlap with current observations to seamlessly continue the ERB record. This necessitates a flight ready operational solution within 4 years to avoid a gap in the Climate Data Record (CDR).

DEMonstrating the Emerging Technology for measuring the Earth’s Radiation (DEMETER), is a revolutionary small satellite based ERB observational platform that will preserve continuity of the multi-decadal CDR and provide improved observational capabilities. Our long-term goal is to collect broadband reflected solar, emitted thermal infrared, and spectrally resolved radiances from this platform in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

DEMETER exploits new technology and integrates it with existing high TRL assets. It capitalizes on concurrent investments in technology demonstration flight programs from multiple agencies. Our “right-size” solution increases the spatial resolution of the measurement by a factor of 20, provides an onboard data processing capability, and reduces mass, power, and lifecycle cost by an order-of-magnitude compared to current approaches. Reduced accommodation requirements make it feasible to launch in multiple orbits, enabling a constellation for more complete sampling of the diurnal cycle of Earth’s outgoing radiation fields, and reduces the risk of a data gap in the ERB record since a DEMETER platform can be launched as the need arises rather than depend upon a large satellite’s launch schedule.

This IIP opportunity is the next critical strategic step in advancing the instrument subsystem technologies, designed and developed under IIP 2019. The objective of this proposed effort is to incorporate repackaging for better form-fitting and execute an in-depth system-level performance test, in vacuum, of all modules (Broadband Optical Module and Calibration Module) to demonstrate and validate DEMETER’s concept of operations, calibration protocols, and radiometric performance against a well-defined set of instrument requirements. This proposal covers a two-year period-of-performance (10/2024 to 10/2026) and advances the TRL of the proposed system from TRL 5 to TRL 6. The proposed effort will take advantage of high-fidelity prototype subassemblies built under IIP 19 and expand scope to build and test and integrate additional subassemblies into modules that were beyond the original IIP 19 effort.

NASA Langley partners with JPL, Quartus Engineering, Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), and NovaWurks, to provide rich heritage and experience in the areas of space-based ERB sensor design, calibration, mission operations, science data product generation and investigation. The key members have a combined 200+ years of direct ERB experience providing the needed expertise to proactively influence the maturation and address trades involved.

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Multi-Functional Airborne Fluorescence Lidar to Assess Ocean Systems Health and Marine Pollution
Madeline Cowell, BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc.

The biomass and composition of phytoplankton are crucial indicators of ecosystem productivity and health, reflecting nutrient availability, water quality, and environmental conditions in ocean systems. However, coastal areas are increasingly threatened by pollution from anthropogenic sources, particularly plastic. Understanding the intricate interplay between phytoplankton dynamics, biogeochemical processes (including coral), and pollution is essential for assessing and mitigating the impacts on coastal health.

Prior studies have shown the value of fluorescence measurements from phytoplankton near the surface and pollution events such as oil spills. Missions such as CALIPSO and ICESat2 have demonstrated the power of vertical resolution through the water column. Inelastic scattering, such as Raman and fluorescence, provides context to the returned elastic backscatter signals to better understand complex water composition and pollution. Benefits of an ocean lidar include creating a three-dimensional view of the water column, enabling observation of diurnal phenomena at night, and advancing our understanding of pollution.

We propose the Fluorescence Lidar for Ocean Research – Airborne (FLOR-A) instrument, which vertically resolves the water column through detection of backscatter at its transmit wavelengths of 355 and 532nm, and employs a spectrometer with high gating resolution to measure ocean-column-integrated laser-induced fluorescence and Raman returns. We will build upon the previously funded FLORO IIP-ICD that explored the feasibility of utilizing fluorescence signatures for the identification and characterization of near-surface and submerged marine plastic debris. Building upon the TRL3 study results, an airborne ocean lidar demonstrates the power of inelastic scattering to identify pollution. FLOR-A will fly off the coast of Florida to target complex waters in the Gulf, shallow reef systems near the Keys, and known debris accumulation in convergence zones, such as windrows. In addition, FLOR-A will demonstrate how an active instrument complements ocean color measurements through the demonstration campaign.

Our team of lidar technologists (including the PI) is from Ball Aerospace. Research and applications support are provided by co-investigators from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Oregon State University, the University of Miami, and collaboration with NOAA.

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The Compact Hyperspectral Prism Spectrometer for Space (Space-CHPS): Advancing Spaceborne Prism-Based Imaging Spectroscopy of the Earth
Thomas Kampe, BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc.

Spaceborne imaging spectroscopy provides a unique capability for monitoring environmental challenges associated with land cover change, land use, deforestation, disaster relief, regional planning, and global change. These fall within the Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems and Climate Variability and Change focus areas and are a priority of NASA’s Earth Science Research Program. The National Research Council’s 2013 Landsat and Beyond: Sustaining and Enhancing the Nations Land Imaging Program report recommended that the nation should “maintain a sustained, space-based, land-imaging program, while ensuring the continuity of 42-years of multispectral information”.

The Compact Hyperspectral Prism Spectrometer for Space (Space-CHPS) continues NASA ESTO’s investment in advanced visible-to-shortwave infrared hyperspectral instrument technology through the technology maturation of the CHPS instrument for space flight. The unique prism imaging spectrometer that is the backbone of the CHPS instrument architecture provides high fidelity spectroscopic data without stray light artifacts inherent to grating imaging spectrometers and it provides low polarization sensitivity that enables inland and coastal water science. These capabilities were successfully demonstrated in the laboratory and on airborne campaigns with CHPS-AB instrument that was developed on NASA’s Sustainable Land Imaging — Technology (SLI-T) program and resulted in an exit TRL of 5.

We propose the technology maturation of Space-CHPS to TRL-6 by furthering the development of the CHPS spectrometer module for space flight including a reduction in spectrometer volume to meet Small Sat spacecraft accommodation requirements, ruggedization of the spectrometer module for spaceflight, focal plane and electronics upgrades for low noise, spectrometer performance testing, and environmental testing of the spectrometer in relevant environments. Successful completion will poise Space-CHPS for the opportunity for rapid insertion for space including ride share opportunities.

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CHanneled IR Polarimeter (CHIRP)
Meredith Kupinski, University of Arizona

Clouds remain a major source of uncertainty in climate models; ice cloud properties are especially poorly constrained. Existing satellite retrievals of cloud ice involve significant microphysical and optical assumptions. In particular, ice water path (IWP) has been used as a tuning parameter in climate models to balance the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget. A lack of accurate ice cloud data in climate models generates uncertainty in projected warming, circulation, and precipitation shifts for coming decades. NASA’s Earth Science Focus Areas in Atmospheric Composition and Climate Variability solicit a better understanding of processes related to the dynamics and microphysical properties of aerosols and clouds under climate change. Additional polarimetric information from ice cloud scattering in long-wave thermal infrared (LWIR) is particularly useful for understanding ice cloud lifetime, microphysical evolution, and interaction with aerosols.

Next-generation remote sensing missions include visible polarimeters, e.g., SPEXone and HARP-2 on NASA’s PACE mission, 3MI on Europe’s Metop-SG, and MAIA on PLATiNO-2. Moreover, the past two National Academies of the Sciences Decadal Surveys for Earth Science in 2007 and 2017 identified polarimetry as a crucial observable for aerosol and cloud remote sensing. Polarimetry is thus a priority for the NASA Radiation Sciences program and Earth Science remote sensing more generally. In IIP-23, we propose to develop an instrument for spectrally-resolved LWIR polarimetry to study ice clouds and their microphysical properties.

This project proposes the development of the CHanneled Infrared Polarimeter (CHIRP) based on metasurface polarization grating technology and sensitive LWIR type-II superlattice (T2SL) HOT-BIRD detectors. CHIRP’s specifications are linear Stokes measurements with 1K uncertainty for 200K targets within a 1 micron spectral window.

In IIP-16, the PI and co-I of this proposal used commercially-available detector and polarization analysis technologies to develop the InfraRed Channeled SpectroPolarimeter (IRCSP). This proposed CHIRP development is motivated by IRCSP’s highaltitude balloon observations of thermal polarization. For thermal polarimetry to be scientifically relevant, measurement precision must be maintained even for the coldest ice clouds in Earth’s atmosphere. CHIRP’s radiometric and polarimetric measurements from the proposed IR wavebands (8.0 – 11.5 micron) provide the needed sensitivity over a full dynamic range of cloud ice temperatures. The compactness of our CHIRP design enables cost-effective deployment of these radiometer-polarimeters on future large space-flight missions, or on small, distributed flight systems. In IIP-23, we will build a prototype instrument and complete laboratory characterization. We will conduct validation studies with cryostage-generated single- and multi-crystal samples to inform future bulk cloud measurements of CHIRP. Our team includes expertise in design and fabrication of polarization gratings at University of California San Diego, advanced infrared detectors at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), cloud microphysics and radiative transfer at NASA GSFC and the University of Arizona (UArizona), and polarimetric design and testing at UArizona. The entry level for the proposed instrument is TRL = 2 (associated with the polarization grating), and it will reach TRL = 4 within the three-year period of performance.

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Global Orbital Research with a Diurnal Observing Network (GORDON): Towards Realizing the Potential of Affordable Spaceborne Lidar
Matthew McGill, University of Iowa

Objectives and Benefits
Spaceborne backscatter lidar pointing in a single nadir direction has proven extremely useful for providing vertically-resolved profiles of cloud and aerosol structure but is limited in utility and to-date has proven expensive. Extending a single lidar sensor to provide cross-track coverage requires either an expensive scanning telescope or extremely high laser power. An alternate approach, especially well-suited to studies of diurnal evolution of aerosols, clouds, and the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), is to launch a series of small, inexpensive lidar sensors that fly in formation providing enhanced spatiotemporal sampling while providing near-real time data products for use in aerosol and air quality forecasts. Pursuing innovative observational strategies such as a distributed constellation of minisats, means the sensors must be affordable and easily replicated but does not necessarily mean they have to be long-lived. In fact, the concept of shorter-lived, low-cost packages that can be routinely launched on low-cost commercial access-to-space opportunities permits a continuous replenishment of constellation-based remote sensing capability. This concept of lower-cost but continuously replaceable on-orbit assets is particularly relevant with today’s budget realities and increasingly commercialized approaches to Earth Science measurements. The pathway to smaller, more affordable lidar sensors is, we believe, tied to use of advanced processing algorithms that can more effectively identify signal embedded in noise thereby reducing the power-aperture product without compromising performance.

We will push the limits of instrument design by invoking advanced information processing techniques (i.e., machine learning algorithms) to extract information from noisier data and thereby enable needed science measurements with smaller-sized/lower cost sensors. Advanced processing is also commensurate with future need to provide real time data products that can be quickly assimilated into predictive models (for air quality and human health) and for generating real-time data products for decision making (such as hazardous plume detection and monitoring).

Outline of Proposed Work and Methodology
We propose to demonstrate a novel backscatter lidar that can scale to space to provide a low-cost yet scientifically desirable solution for diurnal profiling of aerosols, clouds, and the PBL. Based on a fiber laser transmitter, and packaged in the smallest possible volume, the goal is to provide a space-scalable solution that shatters the cost barrier common to current lidar design concepts. In addition, to extend the science capability we will combine the lidar with an inexpensive polarized camera. The combined active+passive sensing will permit development of data products that, along with a distributed architecture of such sensors, will provide needed and affordable measurement capability for aerosol, cloud, and PBL studies.

Our work will use airborne operation of a prototype sensor package to demonstrate advanced algorithms, applied to the GORDON instrument design, to quantify the attainable improvement in performance (or, alternately, to quantify the corresponding reduction in power-aperture product, a major design driver of cost). An important, and very intentional, aspect of our methodology is to involve students in all aspects of the research. Engaging students in hardware development is the best way to actively encourage a next generation of instrument-oriented researchers and develop a pipeline of instrument capable scientists and engineers.

Period of Performance
The GORDON development effort will span a 36-month schedule for design, fabricate, test, and delivery.

Entry and Planned Exit TRL
The GORDON entry TRL is 3 with a planned exit TRL of 6 (instrument has conducted airborne engineering demonstration flights and data analyzed to verify performance predictions and scaling to space).

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TRL-6 Cross-Cutting Water Vapor and Methane DIAL Transmitter
Amin Nehrir, Langley Research Center

Characterizing the complex three-dimensional structure of water vapor in the troposphere from process (e.g., clouds, land atmosphere feedback, etc.) to global scales (convective organization and synoptic flow) with high vertical resolution and accuracy remains an unmet grand challenge called for by many disparate communities and consensus reports. Similarly, rising atmospheric methane concentrations make it a particularly attractive target for climate mitigation strategies, as it has a radiative forcing equivalent to that of CO2 over a 20-year time horizon due to its much greater warming potential but shorter atmospheric lifetime. Changes in land-atmosphere carbon exchange happen across a range of space and time scales, from individual oil and gas extraction wells to urban areas to large ecosystems (e.g., boreal and tropical wetlands). The current space-based PoR provides a wealth of information on the spatial distribution of these two important molecules but lacks the sensitivity and accuracy to constrain key processes across these vastly different scales, across diurnal and seasonal cycles, and across different latitudes.

Space-based differential absorption lidar (DIAL) fills a unique observational gap and compliments the current passive program of record by providing accurate (direct), dense coverage, and high-resolution observations in scenes that have historically challenged passive sensors (e.g., high aerosol loading, between and through broken cloud fields, high latitudes, and low sunlight conditions).

To overcome this observational gap, NASA Langley Research Center has been advancing technologies through the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Lidar PathfindEr (ABLE) project to enable the first space-based DIAL measurements of water vapor profiles throughout the troposphere with cross-cutting capabilities to measure attenuated backscatter profiles, distributions of PBL height, precipitable water vapor, and surface weighted water vapor (XH2O), as well as methane columns (XCH4). Under the ABLE project we have advanced critical DIAL transmitter subsystems to TRL-5 by increasing 1532 nm pump diode efficiency from ~20% to >38% with flight compatible conductive cooling interface, increased the average power of the Er:YAG laser transmitter by 2x compared to the HALO airborne transmitter to achieve ~12 W of output power with near 4% electrical-to-optical efficiency, and developed a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) seed laser with flight compatible electronics in a conductively cooled housing with <25W power consumption.

We propose here to build on the TRL-5 DIAL transmitter subsystems developed under the ABLE to TRL-6 through the development of engineering demonstration units (EDU) based on the ABLE designs and by carrying out flight qualification campaigns including shock, vibration, thermal vacuum, and radiation testing on the limited non-flight hardened electrical components. The period of performance is 24 months and the entry and exit TRL for the space-based laser transmitter subsystem (e.g., pump diodes, pulsed laser, seed laser) is 5 and 6, respectively.

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Next Generation of Intelligent Meteorological Radar with Built-in Understanding of the Scenery (NIMBUS)
Raquel Rodriguez Monje, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

We propose the development of NIMBUS (Next generation Intelligent Meteorological Radar with a Built-in Understanding of the Scenery), an ultra-compact multi-frequency Ka/W/G-band radar system with onboard intelligence. The radar instrument leverages three key technologies to reduce the size, weight and power and provide autonomous agility to enable observation of a broad range of atmospheric phenomena: (1) Radar-on-achip ultra-compact architecture, integrating millimeter-wave electronics into silicon RFICs, a technology commonly used in the automotive industry and now applied for the first time in weather focused mission concept. (2) RF photonics source recently developed and demonstrated as part of NASA/ESTO ACT-20. The RF photonics source with world record low phase noise is critical for pulse-compression techniques, enabling the reduction of range-sidelobes caused by surface clutter. (3) Onboard intelligence powered by machine learning algorithms, programmed on a Snapdragon digital processor platform. This capability enables real-time adaptation of radar operations to the various cloud and precipitation scenarios which result in a range of diverse measurement requirements. This AI-driven approach allows targeted use of radar power for the specific measurements of interest by optimizing waveform choices dynamically to achieve the best balance of sensitivity and resolution at each of the operating wavelengths while operating within the bounds of a low-power small platform. Drawing insights from lookahead multi-frequency passive sensors, and contextual factors such as location and environmental parameters, this continuous learning process enables the system to adapt and refine its strategies depending on the scenario being observed.

NIMBUS builds upon the successful demonstration of IIP-19/CloudCube compact radar architecture (Ka-/W-/G-band, with direct heritage from RainCube), as well as complementary advances achieved under the IIP-19/SMICES, making another significant leap into the miniaturization of radar instruments while achieving a performance comparable to larger radars by adding operational agility. As part of this IIP effort, we will build and test the ultra-compact radar prototype and conduct initial airborne demonstrations. We will also simulate and validate machine learning algorithms with prelaunch configurations and airborne operations to ensure their effectiveness and adaptability in real atmospheric scenarios. The spaceborne instrument has an entry level TRL of 3 and a planned exit of TRL 4 (or airborne TRL-6) over three years of performance.

The NIMBUS instrument represents a significant departure from traditional radar approaches, transitioning towards AI-driven methodologies. Unlike conventional systems reliant on fixed settings and manual adjustments, NIMBUS dynamically adapts its operations to the atmospheric scenery enabling adaptive radar sampling that minimizes instrument power draw without compromising performance. This innovation will enable unprecedented mission concepts that would fill existing gaps in the observation of a variety of cloud and precipitation processes. Missions will include, but not be limited to, low-cost radar options relevant to architectures compatible with small spacecraft platforms targeting observables such as the cloud, convection and precipitation (CCP), global monitoring of atmospheric winds, and observations of critical elements of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL). NIMBUS will also provide a flexible instrument capability to complement other instruments (e.g. lidar, spectrometer, or microwave radiometer) in larger mission concepts targeting the same observables.

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CHAPS Flight Qualification
William Swartz, Johns Hopkins University

The objective of the proposed IIP-Instrument Technology Maturation (ITM) project is to build and flight-qualify a Compact Hyperspectral Air Pollutions Sensor (CHAPS) for future application in low Earth orbit, based on the CHAPS–Demonstrator (CHAPS-D) IIP-2019.

Air pollution is responsible for ~7 million premature deaths every year. Past and current low Earth–orbiting satellite observatories provide global surveys of air quality characteristics and trends. New geostationary satellites add diurnal information but lack global coverage. Scientists and policymakers, however, need environmental information at spatial and temporal resolutions comparable to known variability: diurnally and at suburban scale. Targeted pollution observations at such spatial and temporal resolutions will better characterize, quantify, and monitor emissions from urban areas, power plants, and other anthropogenic activities, with both scientific and societal benefits. The Decadal Survey calls for a robust, comprehensive observing strategy for the spatial distribution of air pollution at high spatial, high temporal resolution. This will not be feasible in a sustainable way without technological advancements.

CHAPS is a compact imaging spectrometer in a form factor suitable for accommodation on a small satellite or hosted payload. Using established differential optical absorption spectroscopy techniques, CHAPS will make science-quality measurements of air pollution at unprecedented spatial resolution from low Earth orbit (1 x 1 km2) and will characterize, quantify, and monitor emissions from urban areas, power plants, and other anthropogenic activities.

CHAPS is derived directly from CHAPS-D. The miniaturization of CHAPS-D was possible using freeform optics and additive manufacturing. Freeform optics have potentially huge advantages over traditional optical designs, including reduced mass and volume, while maintaining optical performance. The CHAPS-D mechanical structure and some of its optical elements were fabricated using additive manufacturing (AM). AM also has a number of potential advantages, including reduced mass, greater simplicity, and improved manufacturability. This approach simplifies the construction of the instrument, with features not possible using traditional fabrication approaches, and is enabling for constellations. A CHAPS-D breadboard has been tested extensively, and an airborne version will be tested on the ground and in the air before the proposed ITM project would commence.

During the 2-year period of performance of the CHAPS IIP-ITM project, we will fabricate and flight-qualify a space version of CHAPS. The mechanical structure and optics will be reused from the CHAPS-D airborne demonstration, as they are already suitable for space. The CHAPS-D detector will be replaced with a space-qualified sensor, along with electronics and processing hardware, all packaged for accommodation in a CubeSat or similar physical environment. This will raise the TRL from 5 to 6, preparing the compact hyperspectral imaging technology to tackle numerous Earth science objectives.

CHAPS complements existing and future trace gas surveyors, such as TROPOMI and TEMPO. The compact size and relatively lower cost of CHAPS also makes a constellation feasible for the first time, with unprecedented spatiotemporal sampling of global point pollution sources. A CHAPS constellation represents a new observing system making science-quality measurements of air pollution, meeting new Decadal Survey requirements. As a constellation or in combination with the larger satellites, CHAPS would address such issues as the short-term evolution of pollution, turbulent mixing of air pollution plumes, “top-down” quantification of point-source emissions, and pollution transport and chemical processing. The CHAPS design philosophy is generalizable to other wavelengths between 270 and 2400 nm, making it applicable to a wide variety of Earth science problems.

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Veery: Flat-Panel Scatterometer for Hourly Ocean Surface Vector Winds
Michael Walton, Care Weather Technologies

Current sources of ocean surface vector winds (OSVW) have significant limitations in temporal sampling. Without frequent, global OSVW, it’s impossible to observe large-scale extreme weather systems at the level required to thoroughly understand them. These systems affect everyone on Earth and especially the most vulnerable. Increasing refresh of OSVW requires a satellite constellation. Current OSVW satellites cost too much to deploy and maintain a constellation. Passive OSVW satellites (reflectometers, radiometers) have failed to solve this problem, due to narrow swaths and onerous sensitivity requirements. For this project, Care Weather proposes to: “Develop Veery, a flat-panel scatterometer capable of measuring ocean surface vector winds with state of the art performance at 1/100th the cost, raising its TRL from 3 to 6 in three years.” Veery is designed to fly on a satellite with a new flat satellite form factor (flatsat) to increase surface area for power and cooling, to fly at low orbits aerodynamically, and to replace thrusters with differential drag. Multiple Veery satellites can be stacked into a single launch rideshare booking. Veery is orders of magnitude lower in cost, enabling affordable constellation deployment and maintenance.

To accomplish this objective, we propose to advance the readiness of the required subsystems and integrate them into the full Veery instrument. This includes the following key milestones: Kickoff, Flatsat-frontend, Radar Backend, ADCS Software, Scatterometer v1.0, and a Final Report. The flatsat-frontend milestone involves integrating the radar frontend with flat-sat thermal management technologies. The radar backend milestone involves refining the signal quality of Care Weather’s radar backend and developing improved processing to support high-uptime measurement. The ADCS software milestone introduces support for the unique flight modes required for Veery’s body-spun scanning approach. The scatterometer v1.0 milestone scales and combines these subsystems into the full instrument, which is tested on an airplane flight. The results of this and other tests are detailed in a final report.

By capturing the rapid evolution of convective storms, squall lines, and cold-pool dynamics, Veery will significantly advance our knowledge of mesoscale and synoptic-scale weather systems. This enhanced observational capability is vital for improving models of tropical cyclones, hazardous maritime winds, and their associated impacts on global weather patterns and climate systems. Weather drives the majority of natural disasters, which kill 28,000 people, displace a million more, cost hundreds of billions of dollars, drive 26 million people into poverty, and create emergency assistance needs for 175 million people every year. Veery will save lives and livelihoods by improving weather forecasts, reducing damage to U.S. infrastructure, and preventing weather-driven poverty. In doing so, Veery supports NASA’s Earth Science and Earth action objectives to understand and protect our planet and the people who live on it.

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HiMAP: High-Resolution Metagrating Spectropolarimeter for Aerosol Profiling
Jun Wang, University of Iowa, Iowa City

The 2017 Earth Sciences Decadal Survey underscored the critical demand for global aerosol vertical distribution measurements in the troposphere and planetary boundary layer (PBL) through a wide-swath, low Earth orbit (LEO) instrument to enhance air quality predictions and advance our understanding of aerosols’ impact on Earth’s energy budget and climate. While traditional passive remote sensing technologies like MODIS, VIIRS, and TROPOMI offer global coverage of total aerosol column quantities, their capability to delineate aerosols’ vertical distribution–crucial for precise air quality forecasts and understanding aerosols’ influence on Earth’s energy dynamics–remains limited. Active remote sensing Lidar technologies, such as the now-decommissioned CALIOP, have set a precedent in space-based aerosol extinction coefficient profiling but are constrained by their narrow spatial coverage (< 1 km across satellite ground track), limiting our comprehension of aerosols’ global implications on climate, air quality, and atmospheric motion.

The High-resolution Metagrating spectropolarimeter for Aerosol Profiling (HiMAP) presents a groundbreaking advancement. Designed as a state-of-the-art passive remote sensing instrument, HiMAP transcends CALIOP’s capabilities, offering global-scale vertical aerosol profiling with unprecedented spatial coverage–delivering an 800-fold increase in spatial reach compared to CALIOP, without sacrificing vertical resolution. This is achieved through the innovative metagrating technology, enabling HiMAP to simultaneously conduct precise linear polarization quantification (with a degree of linear polarization accuracy within ±0.005), high spectral dispersion (spectral resolving power of 4300), and broad swath imaging (approximately 800 km swath width across satellite ground track). HiMAP is a cost-effective solution for global aerosol profiling from LEO, owing to its form factor (volume of 0.5m3, a mass of 35kg, a power requirement of 65W, and an average data rate of 7.4 Mbps in orbit) optimized for deployment on an ESPA-class small satellite.

 

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