scope:

Description of Driving Event:

During the first test firing of a flight laser, after an electronic card repair, it was noticed that there was no visible laser light observed in a television screen used for monitoring the laser. At the same time a power meter only registered .3 watt, well below the 4.4 watts expected. Upon shutting the laser down it was discovered that the laser had been firing directly into an aluminum lens cap that had just been added to the laser configuration. The existence of the lens cap was unknown to the personnel running the test. After the cap was removed, the laser was tested and it was found that no apparent damage had occurred.