The general project goals, as defined in the ESA ITT 1-7483, are to
• Review of requirements and technologies for laser altimetry for earth observation, with
an emphasis on vegetation height measurements using photon counting techniques.
• The main objective is to manufacture and demonstrate a laser altimeter breadboard
implementing novel technologies and ranging techniques that shall be used in future
Earth Observation(EO) Laser Altimetry missions.
• The breadboard design, manufacture and testing shall be representative of a future EO
instrument dedicated to vegetation height measurements. Different technologies shall
be assessed and experimentally validated.
• The breadboard shall apply a multi-kHz single photon counting technique and make
use of multi-beams for area observation.
• Ability to measure real vegetation height shall be demonstrated.
• The consortium will provide a technology and implementation roadmap for future EO
missions