We report the design, testing, and performance verification of the Mercury Laser Altimeter, which is one of the payload science instruments on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, Geochemistry, and Ranging mission, scheduled to be launched in July-August 2004. The altimeter will provide measurement of the Mercury surface topography via laser pulse time-of-flight. The instrument is capable of ranging to greater than 800km distance at a ranging error standard deviation of 0.15-m.
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