Nikos Karafolas

Fiber optic sensing in space structures: the experience of the European Space Agency

The applications of fiber optic sensors on board spacecraft and launchers are discussed based on the experience gained by several ESA funded R&D projects along with the experience of preparing the first spaceflight hardware demonstrations.

Introducing photonics in spacecraft engineering: ESA's strategic approach

Photonic Technologies in the form of fiber optics, integrated optics and micro-photonics offer some compelling advantages when considered for use in spacecraft. Since 2002 the European Space Agency has engaged in a comprehensive Research and Development program in Photonics that covers applications in communications, sensing, signal processing as well as in some specialized applications. The Research and Development program has been accompanied with the first in-flight demonstrations as well as with the first operational use of fiber optics as critical element of a satellite payload. Fiber optic digital communications for all types of data rates is the first application of Photonics that will reach space qualification. Analog signal communication will follow together with fiber optic sensing. Signal processing applications including Rf down-conversion, switching and analog to digital conversion with electro-photonic means are also under development and their potentials remain to be assessed in comparison with the evolving electronic approaches.

Fiber Bragg gratings as a candidate technology for satellite optical communication payloads: radiation-induced spectral effects

Intra-core Fiber Bragg Gratings is a candidate technology for a number of future applications in satellite payloads that plan to use multi-wavelength optical links for communicating with other satellites or with ground stations. Applications include wavelength multiplexing and demultiplexing units in multi- wavelength inter-satellite links as well as Add/Drop Multiplexers in the context of broadband satellite constellations using optical networking with on board optical routing. The main advantages of fiber Bragg gratings is that these devices are passive requiring no electric al power, have low mass, and can be compactly packaged. When considered for applications in space the main parameters of concern to be controlled are the stability in wavelength selectivity and throughput loss.

SPACE EVALUATION OF OPTICAL MODULATORS FOR MICROWAVE PHOTONIC ON-BOARD APPLICATIONS

Since several years, perspectives and assets offered by photonic technologies compared with their traditional RF counterparts (mass and volume reduction, transparency to RF frequency, RF isolation), make them particularly attractive for space applications [1] and, in particular, telecommunication satellites [2]. However, the development of photonic payload concepts have concurrently risen and made the problem of the ability of optoelectronic components to withstand space environment more and more pressing. Indeed, photonic components used in such photonic payloads architectures come from terrestrial networks applications in order to benefit from research and development in this field. This paper presents some results obtained in the frame of an ESA-funded project, carried out by Thales Alenia Space France, as prime contractor, and Alter Technology Group Spain (ATG) and Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM), as subcontractors, one objective of which was to assess commercial high frequency optical intensity modulators for space use through a functional and environmental test campaign. Their potential applications in microwave photonic sub-systems of telecom satellite payloads are identified and related requirements are presented. Optical modulator technologies are reviewed and compared through, but not limited to, a specific figure of merit, taking into account two key features of these components : optical insertion loss and RF half-wave voltage. Some conclusions on these different technologies are given, on the basis of the test results, and their suitability for the targeted applications and environment is highlighted.

Fast-steering solutions for cubesat-scale optical communications

We describe the design of a compact free-space optical communications module for use on a nanosatellite and present results from a detailed trade study to select an optical fine steering mechanism compatible with our stringent size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints. This mechanism is an integral component of the compact free-space optical communications system that is under development at the MIT Space Systems Laboratory [1]. The overall goal of this project is to develop a laser communications (lasercom) payload that fits within the SWaP constraints of a typical “3U” CubeSat. The SWaP constraints for the entire lasercom payload are 5 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm, 600 g and 10W. Although other efforts are underway to qualify MEMS deformable mirrors for use in CubeSats [2], there has been very little work towards qualifying tip-tilt MEMS mirrors [3]. Sec. II provides additional information on how the fast steering mechanism is used in our lasercom system. Performance requirements and desirable traits of the mechanism are given. In Sec. III we describe the various types of compact tip-tilt mirrors that are commercially available as well as the justification for selecting a MEMS-based device for our application. Sec. IV presents an analysis of the devices transfer function characteristics and ways of predicting this behavior that are suitable for use in the control processor. This analysis is based upon manufacturer-provided test data which was collected at standard room conditions. In the final section, we describe on-going work to build a testbed that will be used to measure device performance in a thermal chamber.

Merlin: an integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar for global methane remote sensing

The Methane Remote Sensing LIDAR Mission (MERLIN) is a joint French-German cooperation on the development, launch and operation of a climate monitoring satellite, executed by the French Space Agency CNES and the German Space Administration DLR.

High stability laser for next generation gravity missions

With GRACE (launched 2002) and GOCE (launched 2009) two very successful missions to measure earth’s gravity field have been in orbit, both leading to a large number of publications. For a potential Next Generation Gravity Mission (NGGM) from ESA a satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) scheme, similar to GRACE is under discussion, with a laser ranging interferometer instead of a Ka-Band link to enable much lower measurement noise. Of key importance for such a laser interferometer is a single frequency laser source with a linewidth <10 kHz and extremely low frequency noise down to 40 Hz / √Hz in the measurement frequency band of 0.1 mHz to 1 Hz, which is about one order of magnitude more demanding than LISA. On GRACE FO a laser ranging interferometer (LRI) will fly as a demonstrator. The LRI is a joint development between USA (JPL,NASA) and Germany(GFZ,DLR). In this collaboration the JPL contributions are the instrument electronics, the reference cavity and the single frequency laser, while STI as the German industry prime is responsible for the optical bench and the retroreflector. In preparation of NGGM an all European instrument development is the goal.

Comparative theoretical and experimental study of a Shack-Hartmann and a Phase Diversity SENSOR, for high-precision wavefront sensing dedicated to Space Active Optics

Earth-imaging or Universe Science satellites are always in need of higher spatial resolutions, in order to discern finer and finer details in images. This means that every new generation of satellites must have a larger main mirror than the previous one, because of the diffraction. Since it allows the use of larger mirrors, active optics is presently studied for the next generation of satellites. To measure the aberrations of such an active telescope, the Shack-Hartmann (SH), and the phase-diversity (PD) are the two wavefront sensors (WFS) considered preferentially because they are able to work with an extended source like the Earths surface, as well as point sources like stars. The RASCASSE project was commissioned by the French spatial agency (CNES) to study the SH and PD sensors for high-performance wavefront sensing. It involved ONERA and Thales Alenia Space (TAS), and LAM. Papers by TAS and LAM on the same project are available in this conference, too [1,2]. The purpose of our work at ONERA was to explore what the best performance both wavefront sensors can achieve in a space optics context. So we first performed a theoretical study in order to identify the main sources of errors and quantify them — then we validated those results experimentally. The outline of this paper follows this approach: we first discuss phase diversity theoretical results, then Shack-Hartmann’s, then experimental results — to finally conclude on each sensor’s performance, and compare their weak and strong points.

PACA2m magnetron sputtering silver coating: a solution for very big mirror dimensions

Today high angular resolution telescopes for space observation satellites require primary mirrors with larger and larger dimensions. For such mirrors, high-performance silver coating is required and is a key part of the component. For more than 20 years, CILAS has developed an expertise in the field of thin film optical coatings in order to answer a wide range of spectral performances and produce high quality thin film coatings. Among the various coating technologies that may answer such demand, magnetron sputtering is particularly well-suited to produce dense layers with improved mechanical performances and a high level of uniformity.

Calibration OGSE for a multichannel radiometer for Mars atmosphere studies

This work describes several OGSEs (Optical Ground Support Equipment) developed by INTA (Spanish Institute of Aerospace Technology – Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial) for the calibration and characterization of their self-manufactured multichannel radiometers (Solar Irradiance Sensors - SIS) for planetary atmospheric studies in the frame of some Martian missions at which INTA is participating.