The development of an experimental full-waveform LADAR system has been enhanced with the assistance of the LadarSIM system simulation software. The Eyesafe LADAR Test-bed (ELT) was designed as a raster scanning, single-beam, energy-detection LADAR with the capability of digitizing and recording the return pulse waveform at up to 2 GHz for 3D o-line image formation research in the laboratory. To assist in the design phase, the full-waveform LADAR simulation in LadarSIM was used to simulate the expected return waveforms for various system design parameters, target characteristics, and target ranges. Once the design was nalized and the ELT constructed, the measured specications of the system and experimental data captured from the operational sensor were used to validate the behavior of the system as predicted during the design phase.

This paper presents the methodology used, and lessons learned from this design, build, validate process. Simulated results from the design phase are presented, and these are compared to simulated results using measured system parameters and operational sensor data. The advantages of this simulation-based process are also presented.