Glossary

L

LACE Low-powered Atmosphere Compensation Experiment (DoD)

laminar Of fluid flow, smooth, as contrasted with turbulent; not characterized by crossflow of fluid particles

Landsat Land [remote sensing] Satellite; also known as ERTS, a series of satellites designed to collect information about the Earth's natural resources

LaRC Langley Research Center (NASA)

laser Light amplified by simulated emission of radiation-a device that produces an intense beam of light that may be strong enough to vaporize the hardest and most heat-resistant materials, first constructed in 1960

LDEF Long-Duration Exposure Facility

LEO Low-Earth orbit (100 to 350 nautical miles above the Earth)

LeRC Lewis Research Center (NASA)

Lidar Light radar

LIDAR Light Intersection Direction and Ranging

lift The force exerted on an airfoil, such as a wing by a flow of air over and around it, causing it to rise perpendicularly to the direction of flight

LISS Linear Imaging Self-Scanning Sensor

low-Earth orbit An orbit of the Earth approximately 100 to 350 nautical miles above its surface

LOX Liquid oxygen

LWIR Long-Wavelength Infrared

LWRHU Lightweight Radioisotope Heater Unit