Open innovation space laboratory.

Collaboration aims to revolutionize space system development and testing through advanced technology and strategies.

Emerson’s Test & Measurement Business Group, formerly NI*, and the the European Space Agency (ESA), have announced collaboration to create the new Open Innovation Laboratory located in Debrecen, Hungary. This facility will help redefine space system development and deployment by introducing advanced test strategies aimed at reducing costs and mitigating risks. This cooperation is also in line with the industrial policy objectives of the Hungarian government.

Lab Demonstration LtoR: Rafael Lucas Rodriguez, Head of NAVISP Technical Programme Office, Prof. Dr. Manuel Lopez Martinez, Senior Technology Officer, EUSPA, Raffaele Fiengo, BDM, NI ( Emerson), Lorenzo Danelli, Radio Navigation Engineer, Thales Alenia Space and Samah Chazbeck, Application Engineer, NI (Emerson)

Located within Emerson’s Test & Measurement offices in Debrecen (H), the Open Innovation Laboratory is accessible to projects that meet specific criteria established by the ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP). The lab is outfitted with the latest modular instrumentation and application software, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of technological advancements in the space market.

“The new lab embodies the shared vision of Emerson’s Test & Measurement business and the European Space Agency to accelerate innovation within the space industry,” said Ritu Favre, group president, Emerson’s Test & Measurement business group. “By focusing on the development of comprehensive test strategies from the early stages of development, engineers can avoid late-stage problem discovery, which can lead to significant cost overruns and delays.”

“We are pleased that the ESA’s NAVISP has supported the establishment of the new Open Innovation Laboratory in Debrecen. This builds on a productive relationship established over several years between our organizations, and I am confident it will pave the way to new market opportunities for innovative Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions and services,” said Rafael Lucas Rodriguez, head of ESA’s NAVISP Technical Programme Office. “The infrastructure for PNT is rapidly evolving, and the laboratory will provide industry with the tools to test and prototype new technologies addressing the emerging market areas such as Controlled Radiation Pattern Antennas (CRPA) to provide resilient positioning to the users.”

Key to the laboratory’s capabilities is the use of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) test systems, an enabling technology that replicates the operational environment for subsystems under test. The lab is also equipped with modular instrumentation and application software for the company’s Wideband Multichannel Phase Aligned Transceiver (MPA) System, S-Parameters, pulse-to-pulse stability, power added efficiency measurement and capability to emulate a Wideband Satellite Link.

By leveraging Emerson’s modular and scalable approaches, the facility aims to transform the design of complex satellite system-of-systems. This includes a focus on RF/micro-wave payloads based on wideband and active multi-beam antenna, on-board digital processor and regenerative software defined radio.

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*See : Diversifying technology Into test and measurement automation. (12/4/2023)

@Emerson_News @NIglobal @EMR_Automation @esa  #TandM #Space

Precise laser tuning for satellites.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is using the precision of Yokogawa’s optical wavelength meters to ensure accurate tuning of lasers used in Earth to space communications.*

ESA operates a network of geostationary satellites known as the European Data Relay System (EDRS). These satellites communicate with a constellation of European Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites called Sentinels, used for Earth monitoring applications. The EDRS satellites use radio communication to upload the LEO satellites’ images and other data to terrestrial servers.

The challenge is that the growing amount of information from LEO and geostationary satellites and from satellite constellations will mean that the available bandwidth from radio communication links will soon be too low to meet ESA’s data transfer needs.

Optical, laser-based communication is the obvious answer, a technique already used to transfer data between the LEO satellites and the EDRS network. Optical communications is a proven technology on Earth and forms the backbone of the internet. However, optical communications in free space between the Earth and a satellite calls for special laser technology. This is because optical signals transmitted between the Earth and space are subject to interference from various sources, such as clouds or other weather phenomena.

In addition, optical signals in free space cannot be shielded from external sources of optical interference by the physical medium through which they travel, such as an optical fibre on Earth.

Optical communication systems need to achieve a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio to maintain the link between transmitter and receiver. In the ESA’s EDRS, signals are transmitted at a very precisely specified infrared wavelength of 1064.625 nm (nanometers) ±11 pm (picometers), with almost zero variance in the peak wavelength. This allows the receiver to lock on to the transmitted narrowband signal and to eliminate interfering signals. With this technology, the EDRS satellite can operate even when the sun is in its line of sight.

ESA is implementing optical Earth-to-satellite communications technology in its optical ground station (OGS) on the Spanish island of Tenerife and at the Aristarchos 2.2 m telescope at the Chelmos observatory in the Peloponnese in Greece. Maintaining the exact transmitter wavelength is a critical part of the Aristarchos system’s operation, achieved by a technique where the transmitter laser is pumped by an 808nm laser diode to generate an accurate 1064.625 nm ±11 pm output. This wavelength is controlled accurately by adjusting the operating temperature of the transmitter laser.

Measurement of optical communications systems is usually performed using an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA), a highly accurate and reliable instrument that analyzes optical wavelength, among other criteria.

OSAs such as Yokogawa’s AQ6370D achieve a wavelength measurement accuracy of ±10 pm (picometres) at a reference wavelength of 1550 nm and ±100 pm at 1064.625 nm. Although this is highly accurate, it is still not accurate enough to meet the demands of the Aristarchos installation.

Zoran Sodnik is the optical communications technology manager at the ESA’s telecommunications and integrated applications directorate. He is responsible for the optical communications system installed with the Aristarchos telescope. Says Sodnik: ‘The EDRS operates at frequencies measured in multiples of terahertz and the transmitter and receiver wavelengths are no more than 28 Gigahertz apart. This means that the laser’s frequency has to be set with Gigahertz precision, and then measured with the same level of precision and accuracy.’

Working with Simac Electronics, a Netherlands-based supplier of connectivity and measurement technologies, the ESA selected a specialist optical wavelength meter, the AQ6151B from Yokogawa.

The instrument uses a Michelson interferometer, capable of measuring wavelength very accurately. In the AQ6151B, the high accuracy model in the AQ6150 Series, accuracy is specified at ±0.2 ppm. Available in three wavelength ranges, the Aristarchos installation uses the Wide Range version, covering wavelengths from 900 nm to 1700 nm.

The AQ6150 series offers high speed, with the ability to acquire, analyze and transfer a measurement to a PC within 0.2 seconds. As well as high accuracy, the AQ6150 Series offers simultaneous measurement of up to 1024 wavelengths and handles input signal power as low as -40 dBm. The AQ6151B also has built-in analysis functions and requires no programming, making it easy to use.

Sodnik was confident that using the Yokogawa optical wavelength meter would produce the results that the ESA was looking for: ‘The ESA has used Yokogawa instruments extensively in the past and has always found them to be extremely accurate and reliable. This latest installation at the Chelmos observatory called for extremely high accuracy. I had no hesitation in selecting a Yokogawa product – it has fully lived up to my expectations.’

Using the highly accurate AQ6151B to tune lasers, ESA expects that optical transmission could take on the burden of handling high bandwidth traffic, replacing radio communication as the primary means of sending and receiving data from satellites.

* Read the full case study here: European Space Agency integrates space technologies into high-speed broadband networks

@Yokogawa_Europe @Yokogawa_UK_IRE @esa @simacelectron @NapierPR #Aerospace #Communications, #TandM

Major contract with aerostructures manufacturer.

Leagan Gaeilge 

ÉireComposites, located a few miles from Read-out in beautiful Conamara, has secured a multi million contract with Spirit AeroSystems, the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer, to provide structural components for business jets and commercial airliners. The new contract will bolster 60 existing positions in Éire Composites and the company will look to create 40 new jobs over the next 3 years at their facility in Indreabhán (IRL).

Irish Minister Hildegarde Naughton
with CEO Tomás Flanagan 

ÉireComposites CEO Tom Flanagan spoke of the investment and announcement of 40 new positions “Today’s announcement of the continuation and expansion of the relationship between ÉireComposites and Spirit AeroSystems is hugely significant, not only as a sign of confidence of the work of Irish suppliers post-Brexit but the massive role our company will play in the future of air travel." He continued, "I am proud of the work we do here as we are unique to the area along the Wild Atlantic Way with a very loyal and skilled workforce, and without whom today’s announcement and ÉireComposites’ bright future would not be possible. ÉireComposites would also like to place on record it’s thanks to Údarás na Gaeltachta and Enterprise Ireland as they continue to support the company and ensure it continues to work on exciting, novel news projects with industry partners across the world.”

The scope of the contract includes manufacturing and testing services for a number of aircraft and will ensure that Gaeltacht innovation will have a massive role in the future of Air travel.

Éire Composites are no strangers to innovative strides having recently secured a contract to design and produce stray light baffles which will form part of the European Space Agency’s ALTIUS satellite. The company which operates an accredited composites manufacturing and testing facility in the Cois Fharraige area currently employs 60 people. ÉireComposites is an innovative design, manufacturing and testing company involved in lightweight, high performance, fibre-reinforced composite materials, with an international customer base in space, aerospace, renewable energy and industrial composites.

Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh, Chief Executive Officer, Údarás na Gaeltachta of which Éire composites is a client company said that he was extremely pleased with the news that an additional 40 jobs will be created in ÉireComposites in the Conamara area. "ÉireComposites is one of our many successful client companies who have shown that innovation and creativity do not always occur in urban areas, the expance of space in the Gaeltacht clearly inspires the workforce here, further driving home the fact that rural Ireland is the perfect base from which to be connected with the world while enjoying world class worklife balance. The company has secured a significant contract which will indeed propel the company’s products and highly skilled staff further. We also welcome Spirit AeroSystems, whose involvement is a wonderful a sign of confidence in the work of Irish suppliers post-Brexit.”

@EireComposites @SpiritAero @UdarasnaG #Aeronautics #Aerospace

Conradh suntasach aimsithe le déantúsóir aerastruchtúir.

English Version

Tá ÉireComposites tar éis conradh na million Euro a shíniú le Spirit AeroSystems, an comhlacht is mó déantúsaíochta aerastruchtúir ar domhan, chun páirteanna struchtúrtha a chur ar fáil do scairdeitleán gnó agus airlínéir tráchtála. Mar thoradh ar an gconradh déanfar an 60 post reatha atá in Éire Composites a bhuanú agus tá an comhlacht ag féachaint le 40 post nua a chruthú as seo go ceann trí bliana ag a n-ionad in Indreabhán i gCo. na Gaillimhe.

Tomás Flanagan

 “Tá fógra an lae inniu maidir le dul chun cinn agus leathnú na comhpháirtíochta idir ÉireComposites agus Spirit AeroSystems an-suntasach go dea, ní hamháin gur comhartha é maidir le muinín in obair sholáthróirí na hÉireann tar éis an Bhreatimeachta ach freisin ár ról tábhachtach in aerthaisteal amach anseo." Arsa Tomás Flanagan, Príomhfheidhmeannach ÉireComposites. "Táim an-bhródúil as an obair a dhéanann muid san áit faoi leith seo ar Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin, le foireann dhílis agus ardoilte, agus murach iad, ní bheadh scéal an lae inniu tarlaithe.  Ba mhaith le ÉireComposites buíochas le leith a thabhairt d’Údarás na Gaeltachta agus d’Fhiontraíocht Éireann as a dtacaíocht leanúnach lena chinntiú go mbeidh muid in ann oibriú ar thograí spéisiúla agus nuálacha le comhpháirtithe earnála ar fud an domhain.”

Mar chuid den chonradh cuirfidh an comhlacht seirbhísí déantúsaíochta agus tástála ar fáil do chúpla aerárthach nua agus cinnteoidh go bhfuil ról lárnach ag nuálaíocht Gaeltachta i dtodhchaí an aerthaistil.

Tá sár-chleachtadh ag Éire Composites ar dhul chun cinn nuálach agus iad tar éis conradh a shíniú le gairid chun sciatha solais fhánacha a dhearadh agus a tháirgeadh le bheith mar dhlúthchuid de shatailít ALTIUS le Gníomhaireacht Spáis na hEorpa. Tá áis tástála agus déantúsaíochta ilchodacha creidiúnaithe á fheidhmiú ag an gcomhlacht i gceantar Chois Fharraige (mar atá Read-out féin!) áit a bhfuil os cionn 60 duine fostaithe faoi láthair. Is comhlacht iad ÉireComposites a dhéanann dearadh nuálach, déantúsaíocht agus tástáil ar ábhar ilchodach atá éadrom, ardfheidhmíochta agus snáithíntreisithe. Tá a mbunús custaiméirí lonnaithe in earnálacha an spáis, aeraspáis, fuinnimh in-athnuaite agus ilchodacha tionsclaíocha.

@EireComposites @SpiritAero @UdarasnaG #Aeronautics

Help from space for complex port & maritime problems.

Awake.AI collaborates with ESA to develop a marketplace for sustainable and intelligent maritime logistics

Awake.AI’s platform is currently used for smart ports and shipping operations by multiple actors such as port authorities and operators, cargo owners and ship operators around the globe. Awake marketplace is the new solution built on top of the existing platform offering new types of communications, ETA improvement, real-time asset tracking and identification and other advanced services to all actors.

With the help of networked organizations and SaaS (Software as a Service) workflow tools, Awake marketplace will facilitate the organization of the complex shipping and port services.

“We will offer a globally scalable marketplace for smart port and smart shipping services, which is built on leveraging the open APIs provided by the Awake.AI platform. Awake marketplace will enable any third parties to build their own solutions on top of the Awake Platform. It will be a full-service one-stop-shop for all smart port services, including service purchases raised by ships when making port calls, trucking and even operational services,” explains Simo Salminen, Co-Founder and Vice President of Products, Awake.AI.

“This project demonstrates, among other industry-leading projects, that Awake.AI is the thought leader of AI-based solutions in maritime, ports and related logistics. We are bringing new revolutions to the market and connecting different logistics actors through a market network type ecosystem, where many participants work in a network-like setup to perform complex transactions like port calls,”– envisions Karno Tenovuo, Co-founder and CEO of Awake.AI

Project Commander was awarded funding by ESA Space Solutions which supports European companies to develop sustainable commercial space-based services, by providing funding opportunities and expert support.

“ESA is delighted to support AWAKE AI. with this project which is an excellent example of how Space Solutions uses data from satellites to transform businesses on Earth. ESA has a long history of supporting companies delivering maritime applications relying on space assets and data. Awake marketplace is a clear example of the unique value space can play in the digital transformation of port systems and of the shipping sector,” says Dr. Rita Rinaldo, Head of the Partner-led and Thematic Initiatives Section at ESA. 

@AwakeAi @Space4Europe #Transportation #Shipping

Connections to the moon!

Within a short time SMP connectors from Rosenberger will be taking a long trip: the first ever LTE cellular network on the moon will be operational by the end of 2022. Long-term tested and successfully qualified SMP connectors for aerospace applications will be core components for enabling fast, precise and highly reliable satellite communication across the universe. LTE cellular networks provide the technology required for high-speed transmission of huge data rates: necessary for vital command, control functions and remote control of lunar vehicles for scientific research applications; real-time navigation; and streaming of high definition videos from the lunar surface to earth. 

Rosenberger is the only manufacturer of SMP connectors certified by ESA (European Space Agency) for space applications. Further connector series from Rosenberger - SMA, RPC-2.92 and TNC - are also qualified by the ESA standard ESCC 3402 (European Space Components Coordination) and fulfill the high requirements of the aerospace industry.

For many years, Rosenberger connectors have been providing a precise and reliable service in various space missions. For example, since 2013, the company has supplied 25,000 SMP connectors for Iridium satellites. Furthermore, Rosenberger connectors have been incorporated into Global Star and Galileo projects for several years.

For the ExoMars mission 2020 - postponed to 2022 - SMP as well as SMA connectors are qualified for use on board. Connectors from Rosenberger will therefore play an essential role in the scientific search for biological life on the red planet.

In 2016, Rosenberger had been part of the Russian-European ExoMars mission: On 14 th March 2016, ESA launched the “Trace Gas Orbiter” and the landing demonstrator module “Schiaparelli” to Mars. On board were ESA certified SMP connectors from Rosenberger which supported the communications with ESA ground control.

The goal of the next ExoMars mission in 2022 is to search for evidence of methane and other trace atmospheric gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological processes. The testing of key technologies in preparation for ESA's future missions to Mars will also be an important goal of the expedition.

One challenge in developing and producing connectors for spaceflight applications is the selection of appropriate materials and their assembly to meet the strict requirements for cleanliness. Rosenberger's connectors have therefore been comprehensively tested for compliance with the high electrical requirements of aerospace applications.

@ESA_ExoMars @esa @mepaxIntPR #Rosenberger #Aerospace

Pressure sensors out of this world!

When the European Space Agency (ESA) team decided to crash the Rosetta spacecraft onto the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to end the 12 year project, the required manoeuvre called for a three minute thruster burn. Data from two Kistler pressure sensors confirmed that there was enough fuel left in the tanks to complete the burn with a little left in reserve.

The two sensors had been monitoring the fuel levels continually during the 12 year, four billion mile journey allowing the mission engineers to ensure that Rosetta arrived at its destination with enough fuel to make the final corrections to put the probe into orbit.

Chosen for their proven longevity and total reliability despite high levels of vibration at lift-off and years of zero gravity conditions, the Kistler sensors, whilst not the oldest sensors still operating, they are certainly the most travelled.

#Kistler #PAuto @esa

Continuing the European exploration tradition.

John O’Sullivan has has over 20 years’ experience in the automation and control sector delivering solutions to the life-science industry in Ireland. He is currently Engineering Director with Douglas Control and Automation.

He has always had a fascination with aviation and space, leading him to gain his PPL in 2003 and to study Astronomy and Planetary Science with the Open University. He was awarded a Certificate in Astronomy and Planetary Science and a Diploma in Physical Science by the OU some years ago as well as a Diploma in Project Management from the Cork Institute of Technology. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Corps in 2008.

He has now published “In the footsteps of Columbus” (ISBN-10: 3319275607), telling the story of the ESA astronauts and their work on board the International Space Station over its first decade and how they have lived on board, helped construct the space laboratory and performed valuable scientific experiments.

ESA has contributed the Columbus science laboratory as well as the Copula, the Leonardo PMM and the ATV supply ship to the station’s infrastructure but it is the human endeavour that captures the imagination. From brief visits to six month expeditions, from spacewalking to commanding the Earth’s only outpost in space, ESA astronauts have played a vital role in the international project.

Extensive use of colour photographs from NASA and ESA depicting the experiments carried out, the phases of the ISS construction and the personal stories of the astronauts in space highlights the crucial European work on human spaceflight.

Published by Springer Praxis it may be purchased directly from the publisher as a paperback or as an e-book.

Single board computer deployed on International Space Station!

GE Energy Management’s Intelligent Platforms tells us that  its CR11 single board computer (SBC) has been successfully deployed and is fully operational onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the continuing experiments by the European Space Agency (ESA) taking place way above the earth.

PK-4 Commissioning Experiment in June 2015 (Pic: NASA/ESA)

The CR11 is at the heart of the supporting infrastructure of ESA’s Plasma Kristall-4 (PK-4) research missions. Two CR11s are integrated in the Control & Video Unit which was installed within a host rack known as the European Physiology Module (EPM). At the beginning of June 2015, the one week commissioning experiment session was successfully performed.

It is a permanent installation by ESA within the European Columbus research module onboard the ISS,  designed to conduct experiments on the complex plasmas in space. Plasma is the fourth state of matter after solid, liquid and gaseous. In space, more than 99 per cent of visible material (e.g. stars, clouds of gas and so on) is made up of this fourth state of matter.

For PK-4, the CR11s are utilized to execute the scientific script, record high volumes of video (130 Mbytes/sec) and housekeeping data, and display experiment video.

“This is a great example of what GE Rugged is all about,” said Chris Lever, General Manager, Embedded at GE’s Intelligent Platforms business. “Whether it’s in the harsh environment of a heavy manufacturing facility, a railroad locomotive, onboard an armored vehicle – or, as it is here, out in space – GE’s solutions are designed to operate with absolute reliability wherever they are deployed, in whatever conditions. It’s excellent to have the opportunity, through the great work that OHB is doing with the International Space Station, to demonstrate again what GE Rugged really means.”

The CR11 joins another GE solution on board the International Space Station. In 2010, Goodrich Corporation created a custom version of the NETernity™ RM924RC Ethernet switch, and a number of these now play a key role as part of the network control system of the onboard iPEHG (improved Payload Ethernet Gateway).

The CR11 is a 6U, CompactPCI single board computer featuring an Intel® Core™ Duo Processor. It is specifically designed to withstand the rigors of deployment in the harshest environments – like the International Space Station. It is optionally available with conduction cooling and extended temperature range of -40° to +80° C, while increased shock and vibration immunity is designed in by using optional stiffener bars and wedge locks. Other typical applications include factory automation, simulation/training, test and measurement etc.

• The International Space Station is a joint project among five participating space agencies - NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA – and was launched in 1998. It has been continuously occupied since 2000. The largest artificial body in orbit – at 400 kilometres/250 miles  - it serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology and other fields.

Instrumentation on Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P)

Reliable connectors for the revolutionary Rosetta space mission

Regular vistors to our pages may have noticed a certain predilection towards the exploration of the heavens. We leap with enthusiasm on any story from our automation sources which as much as hints at an involvement. Here is one such story.

Souriau has served as a trusted collaborator to the ESA (European Space Agency) and CNES (French Space Agency) by supplying interconnection components 15 years ago for the Rosetta space mission. The firm supplied various types of connectors for the flight model and is proud to have contributed to this unprecedented ESA success.

Heart-stopping moment!

Early last November (2/11/2014), Philae, ESA´s robotic spaceship successfully landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P), more than ten years after departing Earth. An Ariane 5G+ rocket launched the Rosetta spacecraft and the Philae lander which traveled for 10 years to reach the comet, 500 million km (310 million miles) away from Earth. This trailblazing mission will provide a much deeper understanding of solar system formation, the origin of comets, and their potential link with the origins of life on Earth.

The company contributed to the success of the mission providing an array of connectors to its end-client ESA. These connectors are typically used for power supply connection and vital signal transmission linking satellite’s sensors to the on-board computer for instance. Prior to selection, they carried out a series of tests based on ESA specifications to demonstrate its connectors were able to withstand the specific conditions set as exceptional requirements for this deep space mission. SOURIAU’s ESA qualified connectors were then selected and successfully integrated on the Rosetta mission.

The company has partnered with the ESA and the CNES for over 25 years and supported various space programs by providing high-quality and reliable solutions for harsh environments and long durations, on both standard and specific design bases. Souriau's  connectors have been used at the International Space Station to perform diverse extra-vehicular operations. In addition, Souriau' provided special harnesses for the Cassini-Huygens’ mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan, that enabled the probe to disconnect from its carrier and land after a 7-year journey through deep space.

The Rosetta space mission demonstrates Souriau's - part of Esterline Connection Technologies - ability to design and manufacture superior products perfectly suited for satellites and space exploration. True to the motto “Reliable People, Reliable Solutions,” Esterline Connection Technologies will continue to innovate while ensuring the highest reliability of its interconnect solutions for space programs. A good example is the selection of microComp®, a new generation of ESA qualified space grade connectors, on the future ExoMars rover which should land on Mars in 2018.

See also: A fascinating story: Trash to gas project to help life on Mars! (30/11/2014)

Chip heads for space!

GreenPeak Technologies has announced that its radio communication controller chip was assessed by the European Space Center, ESA/ESTEC, for use in aerospace applications and was endorsed for its superior RF performance, ultra-low power requirement and excellent interference robustness.

ESTEC, the European Space Research and Technology Centre, is the technical heart of ESA - the incubator of the European space effort - where most ESA projects are guided through the various phases of development. To reduce the weight of satellites, engineers at ESA assess the replacement of data cables with wireless for sensors in and outside the satellite. The wireless communication technology must be proven in the field and designed to enable superior RF performance in satellite applications. The selection requirements are based on high reliability, extreme battery life time (+15 years) and robustness against interference.

"In our effort to reduce the complexity of harness onboard satellites and in ground tests, ESA has been searching for commercially available wireless communication technologies for sensors,” said Jean-François Dufour, Computer and Data Handling Engineer with ESA. “GreenPeak's  IEEE802.15.4-2006 silicon was evaluated for its extremely low current consumption characteristics, which are needed for long-duration maintenance-free missions, and for its antenna diversity feature providing robust links within satellite systems. We were delighted by the quality of the silicon and the dedication of GreenPeak's staff."
Cees links, CEO of GreenPeak said: “We are excited to meet the challenges posed by ESA and passing in depth testing of our silicon. Working with ESA is a unique quality recognition and demonstrates that our silicon is highly suitable for the most demanding applications requiring performance leadership.”

Testing for space missions

Yokogawa oscilloscopes and ScopeCorder help European Space Agency to test high-power laser diodes for space missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) is using Yokogawa digital oscilloscopes, including the recently launched DL850 ScopeCorder, at its European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk (NL) to carry out key evaluation tests on different high-power laser systems for use on space satellites.

Typical laser system applications in space include precision range measurements, radar-like 'lidar' systems to gather a complete picture of surface terrain or three-dimensional samplings of planetary atmospheres, and laser-based space communications with high bandwidth and minimal electromagnetic interference.

ESTEC is the largest ESA research centre in Europe, and is responsible for developing and managing all types of space missions for scientific exploration, satellite-based navigation and communication, and earth observation purposes. It operates an environmental test centre for spacecraft, with supporting engineering laboratories specialised in systems engineering, components and materials, including an opto-electronics laboratory focusing on the performance verification of active optical instruments, including high-power laser systems and components of solid-state lasers

The laboratory includes a Class 10,000 (ISO 7) clean room, two fully equipped optoelectronics laboratories designed for the operation of Class 4 laser systems (defined as powerful enough to burn skin, cause permanent eye damage or ignite flammable material), workshop and storage rooms. It has the equipment necessary to measure the optical spectrum, beam profile, power and energy, stability and modulation response, in free space as well as optical fibres.

The Yokogawa test equipment - initially a DL6154 oscilloscope which is currently being supplemented by a DL850 ScopeCorder - is used specifically to complement test set-ups developed for investigating laser-induced contamination or endurance testing on laser diodes used as pump sources for solid-state lasers.

These tests involve the recording of large amounts of data over considerable periods of time: several weeks or even months in some cases.

The key electrical parameters involved in the tests are voltage and current in well-controlled environmental conditions. Moreover, for endurance testing, the instruments need to be able to automatically detect and store very short and intermittent transient events such as current spikes.

In addition, the DL6154 is used to monitor the pulse shape of an injection seeded high power solid state laser used in the context of laser induced contamination and damage experiments. This equipment has proven to be able to successfully detect the intra-pulse modulation at laser output occurring when the seeding mechanism is not effective, and therefore gives reliable and crucial information on the laser behaviour.

The evaluation of the measured parameters and environmental conditions must be correlated with the optical performance of the test specimen: specifically the output power profile.

The ESTEC team selected the Yokogawa equipment as a result of previous experience with other Yokogawa products, and because of the applications knowledge and proactive support provided by Yokogawa engineers. Another important point was the instruments' ability to observe high-speed physical phenomena and to review historical data over a long period of time, along with their compatibility with NI Labview software for subsequent analysis of the data.

The ESTEC team are currently in the process of expanding their Yokogawa test set-up with the addition of new voltage, current and temperature modules for the DL850 ScopeCorder.

Good connections in space!

Souriau has obtained the qualification of the European Space Agency (ESA) for its rectangular miniature range: microComp®. The microComp® connector is the perfect replacement for ESA/ESCC D-Sub connector, which is widely used today in satellite payloads. The microComp® allows a space saving up to 40% and a weight reduction down to 60%.

Connectors currently used on equipment and harnesses of telecommunication satellites or scientific missions are of the same type as those on laptop and home computers. These connectors, commonly called D-Subminiature, use materials and manufacturing processes which are more than 40 years old and do not take advantage of the miniaturization trend In the electronics industry.

Reliability is the key word in the space industry - for both launchers and satellites. All the mounted components have to be qualified and are subject to an extensive manufacturing follow-up with full traceability. This traceability permits the identification of the batch of raw material in case of failure in order to isolate the potentially defective components.

In this context, Souriau worked in partnership with the European Space Agency to develop a complete range of rectangular connectors in composite material for the space environment.

Composite material is the best solution for coping with miniaturization and mass saving trends in on-board equipment. Souriau is at the forefront of this technology and is already a major supplier of composite connectors for all new generation of airplanes.

Since the end of 1980s, Souriau has worked on the choice of composite materials and their characterization. As a result, Souriau has developed expertise in composites, both in their formulation and in the industrial processes like high pressure moulding, and of the adhesion of metallic coating (nickel, gold) on these composite materials.

For this new rectangular range microComp®, the complete shell is made of composite and metalized in order to ensure an effective electrical continuity between the plug, the receptacle, the backshells and the harness braid. This is essential to provide good protection of the transmitted signals against electromagnetic interference. The electrical crimp contacts are removable and allow the user to wire and unwire their equipment. It gives flexibility and saves cost during the development phase.

Mating, unmating and endurance force testing of rectangular electrical connectors

Mating, unmating and endurance force testing of rectangular, wired electrical connectors can be automated using an LFPlus single column universal materials tester from Lloyd Instruments. The test procedure, which has been reported by Hemetek Techno Instruments, Lloyd Instruments’ distributor in India, is in full compliance with the European Space Agency ESA/SCC Generic Specification No. 3401 for rectangular and circular non-filtered electrical connectors.

Tests are carried out on the LFPlus machine equipped with a special test jig to hold the connectors. Mating and unmating forces are measured during a cycle of 4 matings and disconnections. The force is applied gradually and distributed equally about the connector. The mating and unmating force measurements are recorded on the first and last cycles.

For the endurance tests, the wired connector sets are subjected to between 100 and 500 complete mating and unmating cycles, with the forces applied by the LFPlus simulating a coupling and decoupling that would occur in actual service. The mating/unmating speed must not exceed 5 mm/second with a maximum cycle rate of 8 cycles/minute. The male and female connectors are completely separated during each cycle. The connectors are visually examined at the end of the test and should show no evidence of physical damage except for contact wear.

The versatile LFPlus can test for tensile strength, compression, flexural strength, coefficient of friction, tear strength, peel strength, adhesion, shear strength, ductility and many other parameters to determine the mechanical properties and performance of materials and finished components. It can be supplied with NEXYGENPlus control and analysis software featuring an extensive library of pre-defined test set-ups based on international standards as well as the capability to set up routine tests or create an advanced multi-stage test.