NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
Product Development: Systems Engineering, Design, Analysis, Manufacturing, Assembly & Testing.
In collaboration with GSFC, Newton provided end-to-end product development of a robust opto-mechanical solution for MARLI’s edge filter and diffractive optical element (EF-DOE) that demonstrated its capabilities and mature technology from a ground-based system.
NASA GSFC requested specialized engineering and product development services for MARLI’s edge filter and diffractive optical element assembly, its related transmitting and receiving components, and optical bench.
MARLI is NASA’s first planetary wind lidar - a light-based measurement system. Its mission is to help scientists better understand the climate, wind characteristics, and atmospheric transport cycles of Mars.
Using a single-frequency laser system from orbit, MARLI will measure wind velocities and the vertical distribution of aerosols and particles in the planet’s atmosphere to provide for enhanced general circulation models and reanalysis.
Newton designed, analyzed, fabricated, assembled and tested the MARLI-EM (MARLI Engineering Model) to successfully demonstrate MARLI’s capabilities in orbit and mature Technical Readiness Level (TRL 6) from a ground-based system. To accomplish this, Newton:
• Designed, fabricated and assembled a gimbal-based positioning system for the MARLI-EM instrument.
• Developed, vibration-tested, and produced the mission-critical EF-DOE assembly.
• Supported mechanical testing including: vibration, modal, acoustic, and static/strength;
• Met all development requirements, milestones, and budget considerations amidst the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic by actively identifying and neutralizing risks, monitoring the supply chain, and planning effective mitigation strategies.
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