Enabling Technologies for Cross-Cutting Airborne and Spaceborne Water Vapor and Methane DIAL

^(a) NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681, USA
^(b) Fibertek, Inc., Herndon, VA 23681, 20171, USA
^(c) Freedom Photonics, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
^(d) nLIGHT, Vancouver, WA 98665, USA
^(e) Welch Mechanical Designs, Aberdeen, MD 21001, USA
^(f) NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
^(g) Coherent Application, Inc. – Psionic LLC, Hampton, Virginia, USA
^(h) Analytical Mechanics Associates, Hampton, VA 23681, USA This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 9 April 2026

Abstract

NASA Langley Research Center has developed the High-Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO), a water vapor and methane Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) system to address the observational needs of weather, climate, carbon cycle, and atmospheric composition communities, but also serve as a technology testbed to mature and demonstrate requisite technologies need to enable future space-based water vapor and methane DIAL missions. We will present on the HALO airborne architecture, enabling technologies, and representative water vapor and methane measurements. We will also present on technologies adapted from HALO to enable a cross-cutting water vapor and methane DIAL space-based mission being advanced through the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Lidar Pathfinder (ABLE) project.