ABSTRACf The u.s. Air Force seeks reliable wind measurements in the vicinity ofclouds from the perspective of a satellite platform or high altitude airaaft. These wind observations may be used as input to tactical decision aids or assimilated into weather forecast models. There is also interest in making direct wind measurements below clouds by sampling through optically thin gaps. GrolBld-based and airborne-based lidars have demonstrated the ability to make direct measurements ofhorizontal

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... s based on determination ofthe wind-induced Doppler shift in the backscatter signal. To deVelop an optimal design concept for space-based lidar platforms, a simulation model has been developed to address questions ofoptimum laser wavelength, pulse length, minimum power, scanning strategies, optimal signal processing and wind computation algorithms. This paper presents an operational simulation model, the Defense Lidar Simulation Model (DLSM). for space-basedlairbome coherent and incoherent Doppler lidar wind soooders that produces simulated Doppler lidar winds using either global or mesoscale atmospheric model wind fields.