NASA describes airborne lidar prototype for more continuous terrain mapping
NASA’s October 21 update describes CASALS aircraft tests and planned development toward a possible space-based mapping instrument.
What the record says
NASA researchers are developing CASALS, a lidar instrument that steers laser pulses using different wavelengths rather than moving mirrors. An agency article updated October 21, 2026 describes a November 2024 flight campaign aboard NASA’s B200 King Air aircraft. NASA reports that the airborne prototype could distinguish individual tree branches and small ground-elevation changes, with 22-centimeter horizontal resolution at roughly five kilometers altitude. The team aims to fly the instrument again during the ASCENT campaign in summer 2027. NASA says it plans to widen the mapping swath and add onboard data processing before creating a space-ready prototype.
Source details and supporting locations.
Practical next step
Read NASA’s account for the tested configuration and planned development steps.
Limits and what is not established
The reported results concern an airborne prototype. They do not establish orbital deployment, a scheduled satellite launch or completed performance from the planned 2027 campaign.
Sources checked October 22, 2026. Later notices may change instructions or arrangements.