Zoran Sodnik

Two-wavelength double heterodyne interferometry using a matched grating technique

Two-wavelength double heterodyne interferometry is applied for topographic measurements on optically rough target surfaces. A two-wavelength He-Ne laser and a matched grating technique are used to improve system stability and to simplify heterodyne frequency generation.

Photothermal interferometry for nondestructive subsurface defect detection

A symmetrical interferometer as thermal expansion detector was developed for photothermal nondestructive material analysis. Phase and amplitude exchange phenomena have been observed, when introducing an electronic reference phase shifter mixed to the interferometer signal. Experimental and theoretical results obtained with this system are presented.

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.

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.

Use of adaptive optics in ground stations for high data rate satellite-to-ground links

Over the past years we have successfully applied adaptive optics (AO) in some optical ground stations (OGS) to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of satellite to ground laser communications.

SEOSAT/INGENIO: a Spanish high-spatial-resolution optical mission

SEOSAT/Ingenio (Spanish Earth Observation SATellite) is a high-spatial-resolution optical mission developed, together with PAZ (a synthetic aperture radar satellite), under the Spanish Earth Observation National Program for Satellites (PNOTS).

Sentinel 4: a geostationary imaging UVN spectrometer for air quality monitoring: status of design, performance and development

SENTINEL 4 is an imaging UVN (UV-VIS-NIR) spectrometer, developed by Airbus Defence and Space under ESA contract in the frame of the joint European Union (EU)/ESA COPERNICUS program. The mission objective is the operational monitoring of trace gas concentrations for atmospheric chemistry and climate applications. To this end SENTINEL 4 will provide accurate measurements of key atmospheric constituents such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, as well as aerosol and cloud properties.

Towards telecommunication payloads with photonic technologies

In the last decade, Thales Alenia Space has put a lot of its research effort on Photonic Technologies for Space Application with the aim to offer the market satellite telecommunication systems better performance and lower costs. This research effort has been concentrated on several activities, some of them sponsored by ESA. Most promising applications refer to Payload Systems. In particular, photonic payload applications have been investigated through the following two ESA studies: Artes-1 “Next Generation Telecommunication Payloads based on Photonic Technologies” and Artes-5 “OWR – Optical Wideband Receiver” activities.

FULAS: HIGH ENERGY LASER SOURCE FOR FUTURE LIDAR APPLICATIONS

For space-borne atmospheric LIDAR instruments, a manifold of scientific applications exists. But due to the lack of high energy laser sources providing the performance, reliability and lifetime necessary to operate such instruments in space, realization is seen by the community as still very critical.