Optical Performance Measurements of the BELA EQM and FM Transmitter Laser during AIV

The BepiColombo Laser Altimeter (BELA) onboard the Mercury Planetary Orbiter is Europe’s first built Laser Altimeter for a planetary mission. Its main objectives are global mapping of Mercury’s topography as well as measuring its tidal deformations to learn about the internal structure of this small terrestrial planet [1]. Crucial part of the instrument for this task is the transmitter laser. It must withstand all mission phases till operation in orbit and work within tight parameter margins. To ensure this a dedicated verification program has been performed at DLR Institute for Planetary Research Berlin which is described in the present paper