title: Optical system design and integration of the mercury laser altimeter.
abstract: The Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA), developed for the 2004 MESSENGER mission to Mercury, is designed to measure the planet's topography by laser ranging. A description of the MLA optical system and its measured optical performance during instrument-level and spacecraft-level integration and testing are presented.
authors.affiliation: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA. Lramos@pop900.gsfc.nasa.gov
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramos-Lzquierdo
authors.forename: V Stanley
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Britt
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mamakos
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Trunzo
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavanaugh
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miller