Ball Aerospace is applying its electro-optical/mechanical tactical and space experience to meet the needs of the laser application market: Laser Remote Sensing, Laser Communications and Directed Energy. With our core competency in pointing, acquisition and tracking, Ball Aerospace has repeatedly demonstrated our capability to put light on a target and keep it there, whether the target is a mortar or a satellite.

Laser Remote Sensing

Ball Aerospace is addressing space and airborne lidar/ladar laser remote sensing applications for defense, scientific and commercial applications. As an example, the Cloud-Aerosol LIDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO), part of NASA’s Earth System Science Pathfinder program, used a Ball built LIDAR to study the impact that clouds and aerosols have on the Earth’s climate. The LIDAR scans the atmosphere with green and infrared laser light and detects backscatter from clouds and aerosols. In addition, CALIPSO demonstrated the capability to do lidar ranging to ground and through coastal water from space.

Recent tactical laser remote sensing activities have focused on array based linear and Geiger mode sensors for airborne operation. Ball’s Total Sight™ Flash Lidar has flown on both rotary and fixed wing aircraft, providing enhanced 3D visualization via real-time display with flexible user perspective tools.