Abstract

The feasibility of developing a Doppler lidar for flight on the Shuttle to measure tropospheric winds has been examined by others¹. Such a development would ultimately lead to an operational system for measuring the global distribution of horizontal wind fields, which would improve meteorological forecasting. In the referenced study a design concept was developed for a lidar instrument which would require more than 2 kW and weigh 830 kg. In a subsequent study², the feasibility of implementing this lidar instrument, with few changes of operating parameters, on board a free flying satellite was examined. The latter assessment indicated that the spacecraft technology is available for the deployment of such a system, although hardware development, would be needed. The total mass and power requirements of this system (including those of the spacecraft bus) were estimated to be 2260 kg and 3500 W. In fact, this system would require a new generation of satellites, since these requirements (in particular the power requirements) exceed the capabilities of present day operational low altitude meteorological satellites.

© 1983 Optical Society of America