Laser-induced molecular contamination de-risking activity for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be the first space-based gravitational wave observatory. LISA uses continuous-wave, infrared laser beams propagating among three widely separated spacecrafts to measure their distances with picometer accuracy via time-delay interferometry. These measurements put very high demands on the laser wavefront and are thus very sensitive to any deposits on laser optics that could be induced by laser-induced molecular contamination (LIMC).

LARAMOTIONS: a conceptual study on laser networks for near-term collision avoidance for space debris in the low Earth orbit.

A conceptual study has been carried out on laser station networks to enhance Space Situational Awareness and contribute to collision avoidance in the low Earth orbit by high-precision laser tracking of debris objects and momentum transfer via photon pressure from ground-based high-power lasers. Depending on the network size, geographical distribution of stations, orbit parameters, and remaining time to conjunction, multipass irradiation enhances the efficiency of photon momentum coupling by 1-2 orders of magnitude and has the potential to eventually yield a promisingly significant reduction of the collision rate in low Earth orbit.

High-power and frequency-stable ultraviolet laser performance in space for the wind lidar on Aeolus.

Global acquisition of atmospheric wind profiles using a spaceborne direct-detection Doppler wind lidar is being accomplished following the launch of European Space Agency's Aeolus mission. One key part of the instrument is a single-frequency, ultraviolet laser that emits nanosecond pulses into the atmosphere. High output energy and frequency stability ensure a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio of the backscatter return and an accurate determination of the Doppler frequency shift induced by the wind.