Solid-State Lasers Join the Space Race
In the 60s and 70s, scientists had carte blanche to develop space instruments. However, in todayis cost-conscious space programs, laser designers look towards Earth and improving commercial technologies to meet cost guidelines and accomplish mission objectives. Ruby lasers with rotating mirror Q-switches flew on the final three Apollo missions in the early 1970s, but for the15 years after that, lasers remained within the Earth's atmosphere (except for some military applications). More recently,...
Photonics Spectra, June 1998