30 m

3D Flash LIDAR Cameras™

For OOS Applications March 26, 2010

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

 AGENDA

 Introduction to ASC
 Description of 3D Flash LIDAR Cameras (3DFLC)
 Potential OOS Applications of 3DFLC
 Current NASA Related Programs at ASC
 ASC STS Flight Qualified 3DFLC

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

 ASC 3D
3D Flash LIDAR Technology
(everything below represents original ASC IP)

Chips (GaAs and CMOS) TigerView Software

Lasers Optics

Non-CCD/CMOS Diode or “pumped”

hybrid sensors depending on application

Electronics & Custom Cameras

CatEye 3D
DragonEye Camera™
Portable 3D FLC TigerEye 3D
3D FLC for Space
Evaluation Kit™ Camera™ (9º) (45º)

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Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

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 ASC’s 3D Flash LIDAR Camera™
(3D FLC)
Eyesafe laser illumination

Return

ASC‟s 3D FLC illuminates the

scene, records time-of-flight laser
pulse data onto a detector array and
generates precise “point cloud”
data on a per frame basis

 The TigerEye 3D FLC captures 128x128 pixels

 Each pixel is “triggered” independently,
allowing capture of 16,384 range data points to
generate the 3D point cloud image
 Up to 30 pulses (frames) per second
Raw data (2005)
 3D FLC is a non-mechanical, solid state system
 Using eye-safe laser

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Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

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ASC 3DFLCs Applications to OOS
 Rendezvous and Docking – Successful ISS DTO on STS-127
 Navigation, Station Keeping, Circumnavigation, Close –Proximity
Operations
 3DFLC = Real time 3D video camera = real time 3D positioning, with no
motion distortion
 Inspection and Defect Detection
 3DFLC = Real time 3D video camera = accurate real time 3D modeling
 Spatial Resolution determined by focal length and pixel size
 Can be zoomed for higher resolution
 Range Resolution determined by SNR (cm to mm; sub mm possible)
 Can be overlaid with co-aligned 2D imagery (IR, high resolution visible)

 Very small SWAP possible for micro-satellite platform deployment

 3DFLC = digital 3D camera; laser = “flashbulb”
1998 2005 2009 2011 ? $$
3 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft 11" x 6" x 8" 4" x 4" x 4" 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.5"
Rack Mounted Portable TigerEye FlyEye

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

 Rendezvous and Docking
ASC’s 3D Flash LIDAR in Space: NASA: STS-127 DTO

DragonEye mounted on the

Endeavor Space Shuttle STS-127
DTO for AR&D exercise.
Launched July 15th „09

Schedule: 5.5 months from ASC

contract to delivery
Cost < $500K

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Navigation
City Driving Example
One data set (raw) shown from two different view points; no visual 2D data; Red = 3m; Green = 100m

45º field of view, raw point cloud data captured at 10 Hz; the right scene
is exactly the same data as the left with different viewpoint s. (Data 2007)

Animations created using SAIC‟s Urban Reality 3D Viewer

Left „click‟ on left scene to start animation

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

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 Inspection and Defect Detection of Moving Objects
Aircraft Example

Multiple frame overlay of aircraft dynamic range data

4316 ft.

3661 ft. Single frame rotated to show 3D

profile of aircraft in flight
3007 ft.

2372 ft.
Individual frames of 3D movie
1758 ft.

This data sample captures the climbing

airplane @ 5Hz and tracks it 1,900‟ for
~11 sec.

Aircraft dynamic ranging data taken at 5Hz

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

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Inspection and Defect Detection
Measuring & Capturing Accurate Inspection Data, Terrestrial Object Example

Range to P1 = 290 m = 952 ft

Range to P2 = 289.91 m = 951.16 ft
Range to P3 = 284.17 m = 932.32 ft
Range to P4 = 277.59 m = 910.74 ft
Height D1 = .07 m = .22 ft
Width D2 = .23 m = .77 ft
Height D3 = 2.13 m = 6.98 ft
Width D4 = 3.01 m = 9.55 ft
Height D5 = 2.37 m = 7.78 ft
Height D6 = 1.75 m = 5.74 ft

 Distances
 Shapes
 Event Alerts

Data 2008 Used by permission from Applied Research Laboratory, Penn State University

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

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 Long Range 3D Modeling
Raw Terrestrial Object 3D Point Cloud Data Textured with 2D Data

NOTE : Scene
“rotating” in order to
show 3D on a 2D
display

Six frames taken from 1.1 km distance then stitched together and textured with 2D images as
overlay; acquisition time 1/5 sec, each point (pixel) contains x,y,z and RGB data) experiment done
for data capture, not image quality (2006)

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

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 NASA-Related Development Projects at ASC

1. Autonomous Landing & Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT)

1.1. ASC 3DFLCs used in NASA Langley experiments
1.2. NRA for large format ROIC > 256 x 256 - Langley

2. Other NASA Projects (Langley, JPL and Johnson)

2.1. 3D FLC receiver space qualification, including S-level parts - JPL
(3D FPA components inherently hard to total dose and single event upsets.)
2.2. Define EDL requirements and provide 3DFLC test bed (complete)-JPL
2.3. Increase detector sensitivity and develop ceramic FPA packaging for ASC 3DFLC - JPL
2.4. Provide a qualification and flight AR&D sensor to SpaceX for Launch (2010) - Johnson
2.5. High Sensitivity ROIC for > 256 x 256 format - Langley

3. Aerospace Company Space Projects

4. ASC commercial projects: Except for radiation hardening, are being developed in the same
direction as NASA = Cost Savings and Synergy

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Approved for public release, distribution unlimited .
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 ASC 3DFLCs for OOS Applications
STS Flight Qualified 3DFLC
Quantities Measured: Range and Intensity
Detectors: 128 x 128 ROIC/ InGaAs APD array.
Performance: 1 meter (5 cm precision) to 4 km (60 cm precision).
Optical/Mechanical Design: 12 mm aperture f/1.6 telescope, aluminum construction.
Field of View: 45 by 45°
In-Flight Calibration: Single time of flight optical reference.
Mounting Orientation: Fixed to spacecraft.
Thermal Requirements: Operating 10° C to +40° C.
Storage -20 ° C to +60° C.
Frame Rate: 20 Hz As Flown
Configuration
On-board Data Processing: Virtex 4 FPGA 7/15/09
Mass: 3 kg
Size: 12 x 12 x 12 cm
Power: 30 W 100% duty cycle (28 -32 Vdc)

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited .