New space chief.

The Supervisory Board has appointed Alexander Dahm as Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA). He succeeds Prof. Dr. Indulis Kalnins and will be responsible for the company's continued development and its path to the maiden flight of the RFA ONE launch vehicle. Dr. Kalnins will remain associated with the company and contribute his expertise.

Alexander Dahm

Alexander Dahm has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the aerospace and defense industry. A graduate in aerospace engineering, he most recently served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HENSOLDT Sensors and was a member of the Group Executive Committee. In this role, he was responsible for the entire operational value chain, including production, procurement, quality, and logistics.

"I am delighted to welcome Alexander Dahm on board as the new CEO of Rocket Factory Augsburg. In him, we gain not only a proven space and industry expert, but also a leader who successfully brings complex programs to execution and can guide organizations through decisive growth phases. His experience from the Ariane 5 program, from senior roles at Airbus, and most recently at HENSOLDT will be of great value for the further development of RFA," says Jean-Jacques Dordain, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of RFA.

Alexander Dahm brings deep expertise from his numerous leadership positions at HENSOLDT, Airbus Defence & Space, Airbus Operations, and previously Astrium and DASA. His professional achievements include building and scaling complex industrial and defense programs, developing industrial production capacities, and leading large international organizations with several thousand employees. He also has extensive expertise in industrialization, ramp-up management, operational excellence, and space systems.

"I am very much looking forward to working with the RFA team. I am impressed by the grit, innovative strength, and passion with which a new generation of European launch vehicles is being developed here. Together, we will reach the next important milestones on the way to the maiden flight of RFA ONE and actively shape the company's future," says Alexander Dahm.

With Dahm's appointment, Rocket Factory Augsburg strengthens its industrial and operational expertise in order to successfully carry out the company's next phases of growth and development.

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@rfa_space #Space, #Rocket

Support for European student group space rocket mission.

Elara Aerospace, an academically led initiative founded at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), is being supported by Thomson, with precision linear motion technology for its liquid-fuelled Methalox rocket. The Elara team is seeking to become the first student group worldwide to develop a liquid-propelled rocket capable of exceeding 100 kilometers in altitude while being fully reusable and have space for up to 100 kg of scientific experiments. As part of a joint partnership with its Regal Rexnord sister brands Boston Gear and Kollmorgen, Thomson is providing key actuation components that will support active engine positioning and critical flight control functions.

28kN Methalox Engine

The system will use two Thomson PC Series precision linear actuators integrated with Kollmorgen AKM13D servo motors and dual-axis drive systems, along with Boston Gear Micron NemaTRUE™ planetary gearheads. Together, the components form a coordinated motion solution tailored to the application’s performance requirements.

In the Elara rocket, the actuators will support engine gimbaling, enabling controlled movement within a narrow ±5 degree operating range. The PC Series actuators were selected for their compact design, ball screw-based construction and ability to deliver accurate, repeatable motion in space-constrained applications.

“Rocket control applications leave very little room for uncertainty. Every commanded movement must be predictable, measurable and easy to verify,” said Anders Karlsson, Business Development Manager for Regal Rexnord’s Linear Motion Division. “For us, the value of this partnership is not only in supplying components but in helping Elara build confidence in the actuation approach before the system moves into flight use. Working closely with the team helped us ensure the motion package fits cleanly within the overall engine control architecture.”

The actuators were supplied as individual components, giving the Elara Aerospace team flexibility in system design and testing. The motion system is currently being validated on development platforms for use in the rocket’s engine control system.

“For an academically led team working on active engine control, it was important for us to use components that were not only technically capable but also practical to work with,” said Tom Luca Reinhardt, Founder and CEO of Elara Aerospace. “Thomson’s guidance gave us a clear path for the thrust vector control design without adding unnecessary complexity.”

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@Thomson_Ind @RegalRexnord @Elara_Aerospace #Aerospace #PAuto 

X-ray detectors in space.

Vast Space, the aerospace startup founded by former crypto tycoon Jed McCaleb,has revealed its plans for a successor to the International Space Station, joining others hoping to commercialise Earth orbit.

NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) has been dominating low Earth orbit for more than 25 years, housing groups of astronauts in the microgravity environment. The orbital lab’s time in space, however, will soon come to an end, and NASA is looking for a replacement.

The California-based company Vast Space recently unveiled its plans to take over the coveted spot left behind by the ISS, revealing the design of its Haven-2 space station. The company is set on proposing its private space station for the second phase of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations program (CLD), with plans to launch the first module of Haven-2 in 2028, according to Vast.

Vast has been working on Haven-1, which it plans on launching in 2026. The company claims its single-module Haven-1 will be the world’s first commercial space station, capable of hosting short-duration missions for up to four astronauts at a time. But even before its first space station launches, Vast is eyeing that NASA contract to build another one as a commercial successor to the ISS.

Dan Guerrero at Willick Engineering a Pinnacle Company, collaborated closely with John Stewart, founder of ATAA, to implement the use of Dürr NDT’s D-DR 1025B NDT and D-DR 1043B NDT flexible panels. Vast is also using the 19-micron DR 7 NDT panel for very high resolution applications.

John is also the Radiation Safety Officer, Responsible Level 3 at VAST. John recently commented that “The Dürr system and software are easy to use. Currently we utilize multiple bendable panels and the 19-micron DR 7 high resolution detector. The systems are easily interchangeable and user friendly…”.

Vast is using the D-DR 1025B NDT and the D-DR 1043B NDT along with D-Tect X software to inspect welds on the exterior of their Haven Space Station components.

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@PresseBox @vast #Duerr #PAuto #Astronautics

Supporting practical space projects.

The WOBBLE2 project* of the Berlin Experimental Astronautics Research Student e.V. (BEARS e.V.) is being supported by Sensirion with the high-precision SLF3S-4000B sensor. The dedicated team of students from the Technical University of Berlin has qualified for the 15th cycle of the REXUS/BEXUS program, which allows them to test their experiments on sounding rockets.

Innovative technology for space exploration.
The WOBBLE2 project (Weightless Observation of Behavior with Berlin Liquid Guidance Experiment 2) aims to test innovative tanks for satellites. At the heart of the experiment are Propellant Management Devices (PMD), which ensure that fuel is transported to the outlet in zero gravity. Using additive manufacturing techniques (metal 3D printing), the team is developing new PMD designs that optimally utilize the capabilities of this modern technology.

Precise measurements with the SLF3S-4000B Sensor.

Sensirion supports the WOBBLE2 project with the SLF3S-4000B sensors, which is used in the experiments to enable precise measurements of fluid behavior. This ensures that the team's experiments are conducted at the highest technological level and contributes to the advancement of space technology.

Successful training week in Sweden.
Six students from the team traveled to the ESA rocket base in Esrange, northern Sweden, in February 2024 to take the first step towards the rocket launch in March 2025. At temperatures of -30°C, they received valuable feedback from an expert panel and participated in an exciting program of lectures and tours. Over the course of the year, they have now completed further milestones and have been preparing for the launch in Sweden since Monday, 3 March 2025.

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*WOBBLE2 is a project developed within BEARS e.V. The team consists of motivated students with diverse skills, ranging from electrical engineering to fluid simulation and is actively supported by staff from the Department of Astronautics at the TU Berlin. The REXUS/BEXUS program is conducted under a bilateral agreement between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA).

@sensirion  #Wobble #Space #Germany #Swedan #TandM

Towards unravelling of the universe.

Analyzer to evaluate 1.6 Tbps transmission system of radio telescope.

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) has selected the Anritsu 400G Tester and Optical Spectrum Analyzer MS9740B for the evaluation of a new data transmission system (DTS) for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) located in Chile. The Network Master Pro MT1040A of the 400G Tester was used to evaluate the DTS communication function with 1.6 Tbps data transmission.

NAOJ is deeply involved in the operation of ALMA, which is overseen by a global partnership of 22 countries and territories, including Japan, and is responsible for the improvement of the performance of the radio telescope to take it into the 2030s (Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade (WSU)). NAOJ is cooperating with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in the USA to enable the communication of large amounts of observational data between the antennas (radio telescope) and the correlator (supercomputer) using the 400ZR * standard and, currently, is considering high-speed communication at 1.6 Tbps. The MT1040A, which is compatible with the 400ZR standard, was selected for DTS evaluation; the MT1040A has a feature that displays the physical layer measurement results at one-second intervals, allowing the detailed evaluation of the quality of the transmission of large amounts of astronomical data. In addition, the MS9740B has been selected to monitor the optical wavelength of the transmission signal during DTS evaluations.

Anritsu will contribute to improving the performance of ALMA, the unravelling of the universe, and the development of science.

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@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @NapierPR #TandM #SpaceExploration #Chile

European space access.

Launch service provider Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) has announced that it has raised a €30 million investment from KKR, a leading global investment firm. The fresh funding is a vote of confidence for RFA as global demand for access to space continues to grow. The investment will facilitate RFA’s upcoming integrated first stage test and complete the company’s launch pad at SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, to eventually bring the RFA ONE microlauncher to the launchpad. 

Why does it matter?  2024 is a crucial year for Europe's space ambitions. The investment is a strong signal for European competi-tiveness in global ambitions to facilitate access to space and enables RFA to advance its mission to restore Europe's independent access to space.

The first flight is scheduled for Q2 2024. With its €30 million convertible bond investment, KKR will become a leading investor in RFA alongside the existing strategic investor OHB.

Stefan Tweraser, CEO at RFA: “We aim to provide cost-effective access to space and data-generating business models in space for monitoring, connecting, and protecting our planet. This new financing reflects confidence in RFA and validates our cost-efficient approach and technical achievements. Partnering with KKR as a long-term investor makes us proud – their financial resources, global network and industrial expertise will accelerate our mission, and support RFA towards our first launch next year and beyond.”

As global demand for cost-effective and flexible launch services to access space rises, RFA’s launch service offering is ideally positioned to benefit from this market opportunity. KKR’s investment follows the company’s successful completion of its upper stage hot fire test in May 2023, the first of its kind in Europe. This underlines investors’ trust in the business model of RFA, which prioritizes speedy and sustainable growth and maintains strong investment value for existing and new investors, and extends RFA's technology and cost leadership.

Christian Ollig, Partner and Head of the DACH region at KKR: “KKR is excited to support RFA in its efforts to revolutionize access to space, which is crucial for emerging technologies that will shape our future. The team’s exceptional track record of achieving technical milestones and their unwavering focus on cost leadership are precisely the right strategy for future success in the global marketplace. We look forward to supporting RFA on its growth path.”

@rfa_space @KKR_Co #Space

Ageing more slowly in space?

Microscopy application in mini-space satellite to study human cells.

The importance of space exploration is increasing, and more and more astronauts are cavorting in space. But what effects does weightlessness have on the ageing of the human body? How do certain cells develop under milligravity and microgravity conditions, such as those found on small moons and asteroids? The Swiss Artificial Gravity Experiment (SAGE) is dedicated to this research task. A team of students from various Swiss universities (Academic Space Initiative Switzerland ARIS) wants to investigate how the ageing process in humans changes in space and how cellular senescence influences the development of ageing and age-related disorders. 

The young researchers are currently designing the construction of a satellite platform for a corresponding biological experiment, which must meet extreme requirements. The fully automated system will serve as a long-lasting test field under the required space conditions and act as a centrifuge for the human cell lines to be studied. At the heart of this CubeSat solution is a fluorescence microscope equipped with a microfluidic chip and a high-resolution USB3 camera from IDS uEye XLE family.

Camera - uEye XLE USB3 Vision - consistently cost-optimised.
• Interface: USB 3
• Model: U3-38J1XLE-C-HQ
• Sensor type: CMOS Colour
• Manufacturer: Sony
• Frame rate: 25.1 fps
• Resolution: 3864 x 2176 px
• Shutter: Rolling-Shutter
• Optical class: 1/3"
• Resolution: 8.41 MPixel
• Dimensions: 36.0 x 36.0 x 21.0 mm
• Weight: 13 g
• Connector: USB Type-C

Client

ARIS brings together studentsfrom Swiss universities who are passionate about space exploration. Formed around ETH Zurich, the members address technical challenges by combining theory and practice. Not only are rockets being built, but with SAGE (Swiss Artificial Gravity Experiment) their first 3U-CubeSat satellite is also being developed.

In the human body, ageing processes take place at the cellular level, which are referred to as senescence. This is a phenomenon where cells stop dividing and secrete inflammatory factors. 

"Building on research by NASA and many other groups around the world, there is reason to believe that cells age more slowly in microgravity than on Earth. This effect can be measured by certain proteins and mRNA, which are emitted during cell ageing. Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) have emerged as essential factors contributing to or preventing cellular senescence. With a fluorescent marker, this mRNA can be labelled and, when irradiated with the right light, it is made to glow. The complete experiment is carried out over a period of two months in a volume of only ten cubic centimeters. To measure and analyse the necessary processes under these conditions, we need a particularly reliable and compact fluorescence microscope," explains SAGE Payload Engineer Jonas Schlör.

For the laboratory tests, a U3-38J1XLE-C-HQ was used in the microscope. The camera captures fluorescent mRNA from human cells placed on a microfluidic chip.

Fluorescence microscope with
USB3 uEye XLE board level camera from IDS.

Microfluidic chips enable the miniaturisation and integration of complex laboratory functionalities on a single chip. This saves space and reduces the need for samples. Microfluidic chips contain engraved or shaped microchannels through which the fluid to be analysed can flow.

The use of microfluidic channels allows samples in very small volumes. Due to the high resolution of the camera with the rolling shutter sensor IMX415 from Sony, individual cells can be distinguished from each other. The high pixel density of the sensor in particular makes it possible to display individual cells with a diameter of only 15 μm. A blue LED energizes the cells in a microfliodic chip. These emit green light of varying intensity depending on the rate of senescence. Cells with a higher senescence rate emit more fluorescent proteins and are therefore brighter. An optical filter allows only the green light from the cells to pass through the lens onto the camera. This allows not only the general senescence rate of the cells to be determined, but also the specific number of living cells.

Microscope scheme for cell research with
uEye XLE camera, microfliodic chip & LED

"The data obtained is thus very meaningful and scientifically relevant, as comparable research has not been conducted in this way before," explains Jonas Schlör. In addition, a complex apparatus, which is otherwise necessary for fluorescence microscopes, can be dispensed with and a lot of space can be saved. "The camera also features numerous software-related setting options, such as exposure times or colour filters, which means that a high degree of flexibility can be maintained throughout the design process." It also has to meet the tough demands of the external environment. These include the rocket launch with its very intense vibrations and, of course, the conditions in orbit under vacuum and cosmic radiation.

With 8.41 MPixels and 4K resolution, the U3-38J1XLE Rev.1.1 is particularly suitable for this type of visualisation task. With the 2x2 binning feature, it is possible, if necessary, to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted by a factor of four and thus increase both the light sensitivity and the frame rate. Sony's IMX415 rolling shutter sensor delivers high-resolution data for detailed image analysis. Due to its extremely space-saving design, the IDS camera can be optimally integrated into this embedded application. The camera is controlled by a microcontroller, which processes and compresses the data while still on the satellite, after which it is to be sent to Earth. 

The software as well as the control algorithms are developed and tested by the students of the Swiss Academic Space Initiative themselves. The demands on the system or the CubeSat are high: The latter must both provide the attachment points for the subsystems and components and ensure the structural stability of the satellite - from insertion into its launch vehicle to the end of its service life. All components must withstand the physical stresses generated by the launch vehicle during ascent and later the radiation and temperature fluctuations in space, while being as light as possible. The satellite prototype has already delivered first promising results.

Outlook.
The experiment is designed to run for 3 years. Based on the research results, various scenarios are conceivable. First, for example, the scientists would like to find out whether certain therapies could improve the astronauts' well-being. But senescent cells can also be drivers of various diseases that make life difficult for people, especially in old age - such as dementia, arteriosclerosis, diabetes and arthritis. In addition, they are suspected of contributing to tumour progression. According to one study, SARS-CoV-2 may also be a trigger for senescence - a possible explanation for Long Covid's persistent symptoms.

The Swiss Artificial Gravity Experiment could provide interesting approaches for possible therapies. More and more IDS cameras are thus making a contribution to health promotion worldwide. "A field of application that is close to our hearts," emphasises IDS founder and owner Jürgen Hartmann.

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• See also: Tiny and perfect for embedded and volume projects. (13.7/2023)

@IDS_Imaging @ArisSpaceCh @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Medical #Research

Juice for Jupiter.

On the long journey of the Juice spacecraft to Jupiter, more than 100 Rosenberger connectors of SMP, SMA and RPC-2.92 series are also on board.

The Juice spacecraft - Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) - of the European Space Agency ESA consists of various components such as thrusters, communication units, power supply, scientific measuring instruments. The Rosenberger connectors provide reliable and high-precision service in the spectrometer SWI (Sub-millimeter Wave Instrument), which investigates the atmospheric composition of Jupiter and its moons, and in the particle spectrometer PEP (Particle Environment Package), which measures neutral and charged particles in the Jupiter system.

The Juice mission aims to measure the surfaces of Jupiter's moons Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, discover water deposits beneath the surface and study the physical properties of the ice crust. Rosenberger Certified for Aerospace Applications Rosenberger is certified by ESA (European Space Agency) as manufacturer of SMP connectors 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.

 @esa @PresseBox #RosenbergerGruppe #Aerospace  

Snapping in space!

Thanks to the efforts of engineers at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the Teledyne FLIR Boson thermal camera module is ready to venture beyond the atmosphere.

The miniature Boson thermal imaging system sees thermal energy and provides accurate stand-off temperature measurements. NASA’s packaging features clever modifications that enable it to survive in the most extreme conditions imaginable, from the intense vibrations at liftoff, to the vacuum of space, and then the temperatures reached during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

NASA chose the Boson as it fits many of its stringent engineering requirements already, including the need for a small, lightweight, passively cooled infrared camera with 640x480 thermal resolution. The platform also lends itself well to customization and repackaging for surviving the rigors of space travel.

The Boson and package assembly developed by NASA has been fully tested and qualified at technology readiness level (TRL) 8 for operation in conditions including high vibration, shock, vacuum, high radiation, and temperature cycling from extreme cold to extreme heat. The modified Boson packaging could also serve as a potential option for use in the harshest of terrestrial conditions as well, including for aerospace and unmanned industrial machinery.

Inflatable Re-Entry Heat Shield Test.

For its first mission, the space-grade Boson will be used as part of the NASA Low Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID/IHAD), essentially a test of the effectiveness of an inflatable heat shield during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

The Boson will rest behind the heat shield, with the goal of monitoring the heat generated in the infrared spectrum as the shield descends back to Earth. An inflatable, lighter-weight heat shield could provide significant benefits for future missions, whether that’s returning to Earth or entering the atmosphere of neighboring celestial objects within the solar system. The modified Boson could also be used as part of imaging systems for future low-Earth orbit satellites and spacecraft.

The initial test is expected to commence imminently. Successful testing will increase the TRL to level 9 for the Boson and packing assembly, which is available for license from NASA Technology Transfer Program.

@flir @NASAsolutions @mepaxIntPR #Aerospace #Automation

Unwordly measurements...

Gathering a decade of accurate measurement data is a major feat in itself, but to do so on a robot travelling around the surface of an inhospitable planet 140 million miles away is almost unbelievable.

A selfie from Mars

But that is exactly what has happened; NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) ‘Curiosity’ landed on the planet Mars in August 2012. Since then, the Curiosity rover has continuously collected environmental measurement data that has delighted scientists around the world.

Some of the rover’s mechanical parts are showing signs of wear due to the very challenging environmental conditions on Mars, but the measurement sensors are still going strong, delivering unique data and dramatically surpassing the initial two-year mission objective. Among the most important measurements are humidity and pressure – parameters that are measured by sensors supplied by the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), using measurement technologies from Vaisala.

Mars is dusty and cold, with a very thin atmosphere. The average temperature is about −63 °C, but daytime surface temperature highs of +35 °C have been recorded. From a research perspective Mars offers an opportunity to better understand the ways in which Earth has evolved and how it may change in the future. For example, if Mars and Earth were both wet and warm a few billion years ago, why did they subsequently take different paths?

The Curiosity rover is mobile, which means that it is acting as a weather station in multiple locations. In addition, NASA’s latest Mars rover, Perseverance is also now travelling across the surface of Mars, taking measurements with similar Vaisala technologies. Operating about 2,000 km apart, the two rovers are laying the foundations for an atmospheric observation network, which is needed to better understand and predict the Martian weather.

Vaisala sensor chip

Sensor performance is out of this world!
It is difficult to imagine more challenging conditions than those experienced by the sensors onboard NASA’s rovers, both during the flight and whilst exploring the planet’s surface. In addition to enormous variations in temperature and pressure, the sensors must also be capable of tolerating thick dust and very high levels of vibration.

The Vaisala measurement technologies deployed on Curiosity and Perseverance are essentially the same as those that are in everyday use in almost every industry on Earth, although Vaisala made a slight modification to the pressure sensor in order to accommodate the very low ranges that are experienced on Mars.

Vaisala’s determination to constantly innovate and develop world-leading measurement technologies is underpinned by ongoing investment in product development and research. Driven by scientific curiosity and supported by inhouse expertise and experience, it has been possible to deliver sensor performance that is quite literally out of this world!

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* See Mars Curiosity Images on NASA site.

@VaisalaSuomi, @VaisalaGroup  @_Enviro_News #Astronautics #Automation #Mars

Weather in Mars!

Vaisala has just published a new video describing the robotic weather station aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover, which is currently conducting investigations on the planet Mars. 

The video features Jose Antonio Rodriguez Manfredi, MEDA (Mars environmental dynamic analyzer) Principal Investigator, who explains how the instrumentation is characterising, monitoring and studying atmospheric dynamics on Mars. This information, he explains, will be essential in the preparation for future human visits – helping to design astronaut suits for example.

• More Vaisala videos of this project.

• How's the weather on Mars? (Aerospace America - Jul/Aug'21)

@VaisalaGroup @aiaa @NASAPersevere @_Enviro_News #Astronautics #Automation 

Out of this world camerawork!

NASA successfully landed the Perseverance Rover on Mars on February 18th 2021. 

See Landing Film

This isn’t the first Mars mission, but it was the first time that the entry, descent, and landing of a spacecraft was filmed and broadcasted live for the public to watch and virtually participate in. 6 FLIR machine vision cameras captured the event from multiple angles, documenting all stages of the thrilling touchdown. While only a few minutes long, the footage has already helped engineers evaluate how well their work performed in space, and inspired millions of viewers around the world.

The Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) of the rover may only be a few minutes long, but there’s a lot going on in those few minutes. Here’s a breakdown of what you’re seeing and from what angle.

After entering the Martian atmosphere, the parachute deploys about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from the surface. Just before this point, three up-looking cameras began recording, capturing footage of the supersonic deployment of the most massive parachute ever sent to space.

Five miles off the ground, the heat shield (used to protect the rover during entry into the Martian atmosphere) drops off and exposes the rover down-look camera, showing some of the rover’s intense ride to Mars’ Jezero Crater.

Then the rover drops away from the back shell (and parachute). From there its descent is managed by a rocket-powered descent stage called the “SkyCrane.” Here’s a view of the rover captured by a down-looking camera on the SkyCrane:

Then it’s touchdown! Here’s a view (from a camera on the rover) of the SkyCrane being swept away as the rover touches down on the surface of Mars to begin its mission:

The cameras that captured this footage are FLIR RGB machine vision cameras, and include five 1.3-megapixel cameras and one 3.1-megapixel USB camera. “Our cameras are designed for operation on Earth, and not built to operate in outer space,” said Sadiq Panjwani, VP of the Integrated Imaging Solutions (IIS) division at FLIR. “So we were quite thrilled that NASA put them to the test.”

NASA began contacting FLIR in 2015 to investigate suitable cameras for the EDL (Entry, Descent Landing) system. Engineers were looking for commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware with an emphasis on low cost and ease of system integration.

This is the first time that FLIR machine vision cameras have been subjected to the extreme temperatures or high gravity forces experienced during the Mars landing. Everyone involved in engineering and manufacture of cameras at FLIR is thrilled about this testament to their durability and performance. And of course, ecstatic to say that their work has made it to Mars!

• See also: Previous news on this MARS Perseverance Project. (November 2020 to April 2021)

@flir @NASAPersevere @mepaxIntPR #Astronautics #Automation #Mars

More news from the Red Planet!

NASA’s Perseverance rover has now spent its first months on the surface of Mars. The testing and deployment phase is proceeding well, and after the first technology demonstration with the Ingenuity helicopter, the rover is commencing the continuous scientific measurements. With the arrival of the humidity and pressure measurement instruments onboard Perseverance, the first meteorological network on another planet is being created.

This picture, taken by Perseverance’s navigational camera,
shows the MEDA HS humidity measurement instrument. 

The Perseverance rover landed successfully on Mars in February 2021 and will now explore an ancient river delta in the Jezero Crater for at least the next Martian year, which is approximately two Earth years. After the landing, the rover stretched its robotic arms and has already delivered a good number of high-quality photos, videos, and audio samples back to Earth.

The rover’s Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) instrumentation suite, developed by a Spanish-led research consortium, has also been deployed. MEDA is a weather station that has been developed specifically for the conditions on Mars. Instruments by the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and Vaisala are included in the MEDA suite to measure pressure and humidity conditions on Mars. The measurements and local wind data provided by the MEDA suite is also used by the Ingenuity Helicopter.

The measurement instruments need to be able to deliver reliable high-quality measurements even after the long space journey.

“Accurate and reliable science-based measurements are at the core of Mars research. That’s why it is great to receive verification that our sensors are working in the extreme conditions on Mars, even after the demanding space journey. Vaisala’s measurement technology is at its best in challenging measurement conditions,” says Liisa Åström, Vice President of Products and Systems at Vaisala.

“The equipment on Mars needs to work in all conditions and is tested accordingly. Manufacturing, testing, and finalizing the measurement instruments has been a major project lasting many years, so it feels great to see the instruments finally at work on Mars,” summarizes Maria Hieta, Research Engineer at FMI.

Hieta continues: “For instance, the humidity measurement instruments on Perseverance have gone through a tough selection process. FMI built 13 different instrument models around the humidity sensor, and these models were tested several times in harsh conditions such as very low temperatures. Additionally, the tests exposed them to vibration and shocks. The most reliable model was chosen as part of the MEDA equipment.”

First measurements reflect expectations
The MEDA equipment has now delivered the first round-the-clock measurement series on pressure and relative humidity to Earth. The measured values correspond to what was expected.

“The pressure levels and variation according to the time of day in the Jezero Crater reflect our models well. Relative humidity is practically zero (0% RH) during the day and rises during the night as the local temperature falls to nearly -80 °C. For comparison, 20 percent relative humidity is considered very low on Earth, and relative humidity near zero is hardly ever measured. The pressure data has also let us observe dust devils passing Perseverance, showing them as fast and sharp declines in the pressure signal,” explains Maria Genzer, Group Leader of Planetary Research and Space Technology at FMI.

Martian weather conditions and atmosphere interest Finnish researchers
The Perseverance rover has been designed to explore Mars’ conditions and geology as well as to search for signs of ancient life. Even though signs of life are fascinating, Finnish researchers are especially interested in the Martian atmosphere.

“Earth and Mars share a lot of similarities, which is why we find the study of Mars’ atmosphere so fascinating: it helps us to understand the behavior of Earth’s atmosphere. Additionally, dust storms on Mars can be harsh, so it is crucial to be able to predict the storms if we are to send manned space missions to Mars in the future. For this reason, Mars needs a weather station network,”Maria Genzer says.

Meteorological observation network based on Finnish expertise Perseverance and the Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in 2012, provide measurements approximately 3,700 kilometers apart from each other. Both rovers carry similar Finnish pressure and humidity measurement instruments, which deliver data that is sent to Earth for analysis.

The data from the rovers, combined with observations from NASA’s InSight Lander on Mars, form the first three-point meteorological observation network on another planet. The network will enable even more accurate modeling of Mars’ atmosphere and its phenomena.

“In the future, we hope to get more measurement points on Mars. This is the ultimate goal for example in our MetNet program, in which we are developing small probes that will impact and penetrate Mars’ surface. These probes would then form a comprehensive meteorological observation network on the planet,” explains Maria Hieta.

The Mars 2020 mission is a part of NASA’s Mars exploration program. One of the main tasks of the Perseverance rover is to gather and store a series of rock and soil samples that can be brought back to Earth for analysis in the future. Finnish technology is scheduled to be launched to Mars again in 2022 aboard the ExoMars mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian space agency Roscosmos.

* Read-out coverage on the Perseverance project & Mars Explanation. 

@VaisalaSuomi, @VaisalaGroup @NASAPersevere @_Enviro_News #Astronautics #Automation #Mars

Detecting greenhouse gas emissions from space!

ABB sensor onboard SpaceX rocket to detect greenhouse gas emissions.

An optical sensor manufactured by ABB has just been deployed with the successful launch of satellite Hugo from GHGSat, the emerging leader in greenhouse gas sensing services in space.

The ABB supplied optical sensor can map methane emissions from space at a resolution that is 100 times higher than any other sensors. Whilst previously only larger regions could be surveyed, for the first time the new greater granularity now allows the identification of the source of emissions. An additional nine units are currently under manufacture at ABB to be launched by the end of 2022 ready to be on-board across the first private satellite constellation dedicated to emission measurement.

Space offers the ideal location to freely monitor emissions across jurisdictions and quantitatively report on improvements. The ABB sensors will provide valuable insights which will enable governments and industries around the world to meet their emission reduction targets and reduce the negative impact on global warming.

“We selected ABB for its ability to deliver world-class instruments while meeting the challenges of a new space company like ours,” said Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSat. “We strive to innovate for the needs of the future, and we’re excited to work with ABB to achieve that.”

“ABB shares GHGSat’s goal of reducing emissions through the creation of their greenhouse gas sensing constellation. Our selection as the manufacturer for these advanced sensors demonstrates our competitiveness and strong fit with the private space sector requirements.” said Marc Corriveau, General Manager ABB Measurement & Analytics Canada.  “The space revolution is well underway and ABB with its heritage of unique space instruments and serial production of advanced measurement sensors for industrial applications is extremely well positioned to serve this emerging sector.” 

GHGSat announced the constellation contract award with ABB in October 2020, with first deliveries in 2021. The unit launched by SpaceX was a single unit procured by GHGSat from ABB two years ago ahead of a selection for the constellation. 

@ABBgroupnews @ghgsat #Environment

Taking a selfie on Mars with Perseverance!

On July 30th, NASA successfully launched their Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission, scheduled to land on the Red Planet on February 18th, 2021. The primary mission is to search for signs of ancient microscopic life and collect the first ever Martian soil samples to bring back to Earth. But the NASA team is also preparing this trip for another first: footage of a spacecraft landing on another planet. For the first-ever filming of a spacecraft landing, the engineers included 6 FLIR RGB machine vision cameras.

Perseverance mission on its way!

Previous Mars missions have taken still photos of the planetary descent, but no landing has ever been filmed. While everything about a space mission takes expert engineering, landing the rover is an especially high-stakes endeavor. The entire process of entry, descent, and landing takes only 7 minutes, during which a wrong move can leave the whole mission in flames.

Position of camera on spacecraft (Pic:NASA)

6 FLIR CMOS cameras will be taking high-definition video of the spacecraft during entry, descent, and landing activity (EDL, i.e. the “7 minutes of terror”). The cameras used for the Mars mission are from the FLIR Chameleon3 family, and include five 1.3-megapixel CMOS cameras and one 3.2-megapixel USB camera. Most people know FLIR for thermal imaging, but the Chameleon3 cameras are examples of our range of leading edge non-thermal industrial machine vision cameras.

Here’s how the landing (and filming) will go. Before entering the Martian atmosphere, the Perseverance will disconnect from the rocket stage, protected by a two-piece shell containing a parachute and a heat shield.

About 7 miles from the surface, the parachute will deploy (video). Just before this point, three parachute up-looking cameras will begin recording, capturing footage of the parachute inflating supersonically. 

Five miles off the ground, the heat shield will drop off and expose the rover down-look camera, which will start recording the rover’s progress as it’s lowered from the descent stage.

Then the rover will drop away from the back shell (and parachute). From there its descent will be managed by a rocket-powered descent stage called the “SkyCrane.” Another down-looking camera as well as an up-looking camera will start recording, and capture the moment the rover touches down on the surface and begins its historic mission.

The Curiosity rover had a similar ELD.

The 4 parachute and descent stage cameras will be jettisoned with the back shell and descent stage. The up and down-looking cameras on the rover will remain attached, but engineers don’t expect them to survive too long in the harsh temperature extremes of Mars (they were designed for life on Earth, sorry NASA!). But by that time, the unprecedented footage of spacecraft landing will have already been captured.

Though the cameras may not have been designed for operations in space, FLIR's dedication to quality on both camera manufacturing and process control gave NASA confidence that any samples they evaluated would be representative of the units which were actually flown. FLIR machine vision cameras are designed and tested to work 24/7 in challenging industrial situations, but we have never had the opportunity to test in scenarios with no gravity and temperatures of absolute zero. Thanks to NASA for providing the extraterrestrial test!

Getting the landing footage back to Earth might take several weeks. NASA expects to record about 25,000 images in total at frame rates ranging from 12 to 75 images per second, in a format similar to cell phone footage. Once it arrives, we will be able to watch the very first real footage of a spacecraft landing on Mars.

 This is what the descent should look like

@flir @NASAPersevere @mepaxIntPR #Aastronautics #camera

Looking at the first pictures after landing! (18 Feb 2021)

Living in Space.

RS Components (RS) is sponsoring the PowerHab team from the University of Strathclyde (GB) as part of IGLUNA 2020, a pan-European initiative bringing together multidisciplinary students from across the globe in a collaboration to build solutions for a theoretical space habitat.

The Strathclyde PowerHab Team

Coordinated by the Swiss Space Centre, and now in its second year, IGLUNA 2020 covers a full range of topics, from the habitat conception and construction to life support systems, communication and navigation, power management, as well as human wellbeing and science. The purpose of IGLUNA 2020 is to demonstrate technologies capable of supporting a human-crewed lunar base, incorporating remote operation.

PowerHab is one of 15 teams across 10 countries selected to carry out this mission and is the only team from the UK. During the project, university students apply their knowledge to solve a technical challenge to develop a system capable of sustaining life in the harsh lunar environment, with its required power needs. To achieve this, the PowerHab team has devised a range of concepts that address the challenges of power harvesting, storage and distribution.

Isabella Mascarenhas, VP Grass Roots at RS Components, commented: “We’re delighted to support the PowerHab team with their fascinating project to develop practical solutions to create a habitable, safe lunar environment, and we’ve really enjoyed following their progress. IGLUNA is an exciting project that offers students an opportunity to participate in an international, collaborative, multidisciplinary project on a visionary space topic.”

Finlay Rowe from PowerHab added: “We would like to give a huge thanks to RS for partnering with us. Sponsorship such as this has been crucial to the success of our project, as it has allowed us to develop prototypes to the best of our abilities. This partnership has helped us by providing off the shelf components and lab equipment, without which prototype manufacturing would not have been possible.”

All of the participating teams were due to gather in Switzerland this week to demonstrate their projects. Due to COVID-19 restrictions this has been replaced by an online event, currently in progress from 10–19 July. The PowerHab team will present their prototypes as part of this ‘virtual field campaign’ at 10:00 BST on Thursday 16 July.

• To watch the PowerHab presentation, or any of the remaining live-streamed events at IGLUNA 2020, visit the Swiss Space Centre to find out more.

@RSComponents @designsparkRS @UniStrathclyde @CHspacecenter #Research

Motion control out of this world!

For a small number of motion control applications, project success is only confirmed long after delivery so that no compromise whatsoever can be tolerated with design integrity, manufacturing quality and reliability. This is especially true for many projects undertaken by Phytron GmbH, the extreme environment motor, drive and motion systems designer and manufacturer, represented in the Britain by Mclennan.

InSight Mars (Pic: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Insight Mission
For example, Phytron’s development, design and supply of deep space-prepared stepper motors and gear units for NASA’s InSight Mars lander began in 2013, working with the Max Plank Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) on the levelling system for the SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure) seismometer. With several European and American partners collaborating on the technological development of the SEIS project, the ultraprecise seismometer is capable of capturing sub-nanometre level ground motion from marsquakes, meteorite impacts, local events like dust storms or landslides, and even the tiny tidal deformation of Mars induced by its moon Phobos. Delivery to MPS took place well before Insight’s launch in May 2018 and in November last year the successful landing of the spacecraft was followed by confirmation that the seismometer was operational early in January 2019.

No strangers to such extended project success timescales, and with well-developed and highly proven manufacturing and test procedures that ensure the reliability required for such extreme environment applications, Phytron have supplied over 250 motors for space applications and many more for other equally demanding motion control tasks.

A cut-through view of the SEIS seismometer

(Pic: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

For the SEIS instrument, Phytron supplied three 19 mm diameter stepper motors complete with in-house designed planetary gear units with a 48:1 reduction ratio. The triangular levelling system uses the three motor gear units to precisely align the instrument via precision spur gears driving separate threaded spindles. The stepper motor, with its nominal current of 0.3 Amps and full step resolution at 200 steps/rev, and the integrated gear unit is relatively simple and traditional design. However, the manufacturing process and attention to detail in construction included separate engineering and qualification models each with intensive performance testing for electrical, dynamic, mechanical, and thermal specifications before final flight models were supplied for the actual mission. All processes and the necessarily stringent quality testing was completely documented and most components were manufactured in-house.

Space prepared motion components from Phytron are typically designed for use in ultra-high vacuum with intensive radiation hardening and for temperature extremes of 573 ⁰K for the motor winding down to 4 ⁰K ambient (300 ⁰C to – 270 ⁰C). Gear units include special lubrication and construction in materials including high quality stainless steel and titanium. Of course, cleanliness during and after manufacture is paramount for such components. Outgassing and vacuum conditioning includes particle removal assisted by UV light, aided by alpha wipes and ionised gaseous nitrogen before and during assembly in Phytron’s clean room. Testing and quality assurance is carried out in-house using Phytron’s extensive test facilities or with the customer, and can include environment duplication where possible. Packaging includes double bagging with the first bag purged with dry nitrogen before heat sealing with a desiccant pack and a humidity indicator placed in the second bag.

Many of these manufacturing procedures are also used for other extreme environment motion control applications found in cryogenics, particle accelerator research, nuclear engineering, medical equipment and other equally demanding industries. Phytron’s certifications include DIN EN ISO 9001 and DIN EN 9100 “Aircert”. The full product range covers standard and specialist grade stepper motors and complete actuator assemblies with compatible stepper motor drives, gear units and sophisticated multi-axis motion controllers with optional LABVIEW® programming.

Mclennan has worked closely with Phytron for several years as a customer as well as a full distribution and support partner since 2017, and can boast several years’ experience specifying and integrating the German specialist’s standard and extreme grade motion components. They have over 40 years’ experience working with long term, complicated technological projects such as this so the partnership with Phytron is ideal.

Through distribution partnerships with other leading motion component manufacturers and with its own comprehensive design and build service available, Mclennan provides stepper and servo motor based automation solutions from single components through to complete mechatronic assemblies.

Other cutting edge instruments deployed on the InSight lander that contribute to measuring Mars’ “vital signs” include precision temperature and tracking equipment.

#McLennan @phytronmotors @NASAInSight

Cables in space!

Intelliconnect have had a number of custom-designed, flexible cables successfully launched into space as part of VESTA-1, a 3U nanosatellite technology demonstration mission. VESTA-1 was manufactured for Honeywell under funding from the British Space Agency.

Intelliconnect’s customer, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), launched the satellite into a “575km sun-synchronous orbit as part of Spaceflight’s SSO-A SmallSat Express Mission”. It was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base on board the Falcon 9 on December 12th, 2018.

The purpose of the mission is to test a two-way VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) payload. This VDES has been developed by Honeywell Aerospace UK and aims to increase connectivity into remote maritime locations beyond phone networks as well as broader remote communication systems.

The brief provided by SSTL required Intelliconnect to manufacture a number of specific cables suitable for use in outer-space. Intelliconnect’s design team worked closely with SSTL engineers to define their design and manufacturing and to provide flexible cables suitable for the environmental conditions found in space.

“Our design team used all of their technical skills and experience to propose suitable materials and manufacturing processes for this application” Comments Roy Phillips, Managing Director of Intelliconnect. "Our outstanding on-time delivery record ensured we could meet a time-critical delivery schedule that adhered to the testing and launch needs of the satellite.”

@Intelli_Connect  #Astronautics @SurreySat

A Falcon 9 launch!

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

Space age challenge!

Video on First-of-Its-Kind I.S.S. design challenge!

Mouser Electronics  has just released a new video for the International Space Station (I.S.S.) Design Challenge, part of Mouser’s award-winning Empowering Innovation Together™ program. In this new video, celebrity engineer Grant Imahara describes the first-of-its-kind global contest, in which participants create an object that can be 3D-printed aboard the I.S.S. Mouser is accepting entries for this incredible competition now through Oct. 7, 2016. The I.S.S. Design Challenge is a call to college and university students, engineers, and makers, to create a 3D-printable project designed to help I.S.S. astronauts in space. All entries will be judged by Imahara and a former commander of the I.S.S. “Like previous Empowering Innovation Together challenges, the I.S.S. Design Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for engineers of all levels to prove their genius,” said Imahara. “This contest adds the incredible elements of 3D printing and space!” For the I.S.S. Design Challenge, Mouser has partnered with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Made In Space, along with Hackster and MacroFab. The winner of the I.S.S. Challenge will receive a 3D printer, a consultation with Made In Space — pioneers in additive manufacturing technology for use in the space environment — and the prestige of seeing their design 3D-printed aboard the I.S.S. Mouser’s valued supplier partner Amphenol is a co-sponsor of the program. “This contest definitely kicks up the excitement level by challenging our customers to create something to be used in space,” said Glenn Smith, President and CEO of Mouser Electronics. “Mouser’s unparalleled selection of electronic components allows both amateurs and professionals to create anything they can dream up.”

@MouserElec #PAuto @TechWireIntl #ISS @Space_Station