Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Couch, Richard H..
The LITE electronics system consists of the following seven subsystems: Laser Transmitter Module (LTM), Boresight Assembly (BA), Aft-Optics Electronics (AOE), Digital Data Handling Unit (DDHU), Engineering Data System (EDS), Instrument Controller (IC), and the Ground Support Equipment (GSE). Each of these subsystems is discussed.
The Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) is being developed by NASA for flight on the Space Shuttle in early 1994. A discussion of the NASA four-phase design process is followed by a short history of the experiment heritage. The instrument is then described at the subsystem level from an engineering point of view, with special emphasis on the laser and the receiver. Some aspects of designing for the space environment are discussed, as well as the importance of contamination control, and product assurance. Finally, the instrument integration and test process is described and the current status of the instrument development is given.
Engineering aspects are presented of the design, fabrication, integration, and operation of the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) for flight aboard the Space Shuttle in mid-1993. The LITE system is being developed by NASA/Langley Research Center and will be used to detect stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols, probe the planetary boundary layer, measure cloud top heights, and measure atmospheric temperature and density in the 10- to 40-km range. The system consists of a nominal telescope receiver 1 meter in diameter, a three-color Nd:YAG laser transmitter, and the system electronics. The system makes extensive use of Space Shuttle resources for electrical power, thermal control, and command and data handling.