This paper gives an overview of some new technologies which are currently being developed to manufacture miniature optical systems (MOEMS), and discuss their potential advantages for space applications.

LETI/LIR has been involved for a few year in the field of uncooled detectors and has chosen amorphous silicon for its microbolometer technology development. Uncooled IR detectors pave the way to reduced weight systems aboard satellites. The silicon compatibility of our thermometer is a key parameter which has enabled a very fast technology development and transfer to industry. This competitive technology is now able to provide a new approach for IR detectors for space applications.

This paper presents the main characteristics of the CEA / LETI technology which is based on a monolithically integrated structure over a fully completed readout circuit from a commercially available 0.5 μm design rules CMOS line. The technology maturity will be illustrated by the results obtained at LETI/LIR and SOFRADIR on a 320 x 240 with a pitch of 45 μm. First improvement on device reliability and characterization results will be presented.

Astrophysical key programs such as exoplanet detection, young stars accretion disk and active galactic nuclei imaging require high angular resolution capability. Today, optical long baseline interferometers are the only instruments to allow such resolutions.

This project, realized as part of a CNES/CSO Mesure contract, concerns the study and the industrial realization of a sensor aimed at the relative position control of space telescope mirrors.

The crucial issue of space-based interferometers is the laser interferometric metrology systems to monitor with very high accuracy optical path differences. Although classical high-resolution laser interferometers using a single wavelength are well developed, this type of incremental interferometer has a severe drawback: any interruption of the interferometer signal results in the loss of the zero reference, which requires a new calibration, starting at zero optical path difference. We propose in this paper an absolute metrology system based on multiplewavelength interferometry.

In this communication, we propose a novel method for estimating the aberrations of a space telescope from phase diversity data. The images recorded by such a telescope can be degraded by optical aberrations due to design, fabrication or misalignments. Phase diversity is a technique that allows the estimation of aberrations. The only estimator found in the relevant literature is based on a joint estimation of the aberrated phase and the observed object. We recall this approach and study the behavior of this joint estimator by means of simulations. We propose a novel marginal estimator of the sole phase. it is obtained by integrating the observed object out of the problem; indeed, this object is a nuisance parameter in our problem. This reduces drastically the number of unknown and provides better asymptotic properties. This estimator is implemented and its properties are validated by simulation. its performance is equal or even better than that of the joint estimator for the same computing cost.

Multi-lateration measurement techniques are described which are expected to lead to significant improvements in the accuracy with which large structures, such as optical and x-ray telescopes and radar arrays, could be precisely assembled in space. A high-accuracy system is described, the working volume of which could be significantly extended for use in such applications.

The NASA Space Mission Galex is designed to map the history of star formation by performing imaging and spectroscopic surveys in vacuum ultraviolet. The dispersive component for the spectroscopic mode is a CaF2 Grism which can be inserted with loose tolerances in the convergent beam to produce slitless spectra. Grisms are widely used in ground based astronomy in the visible or near infrared bands but the UV cutoff of the resin involved in their manufacturing process prevents their use in the UV range. LAS and Jobin-Yvon developed a proprietary process to imprint the blazed profile into the CaF2 crystal. We will present the measured optical performance of prototypes and flight models delivered this summer to NASA/JPL. We will also present a three bipod flexures mount we designed to minimize the mechanical stress on the optical component. The flight Grism bonded to such a mount has successfully passed the Galex environmental qualification.

The GALEX project (GALaxy evolution EXplorer) is a NASA Space Ultraviolet Small Explorer mission.

ISRO is planning to orbit a four meter focal length telescope for generating high resolution images of the Earth from a polar sun synchronous orbit.

An acousto-optical spectrometer (AOS) is employed in order to meet scientific mission objectives of submillimeter-wave limb-emission sounder (SMILES) to be aboard the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) of International space station (ISS). AOS is developed by ASTRIUM for the Japanese space agency (NASDA). The capability of multi channel detection with AOS is suitable for observing multi-chemical species in a wide frequency region. Low noise of the AOS enables us to obtain the spectra with a very high sensitivity. Several technical concerns relating to important instrumental characteristics of AOS are discussed and expected performance of the design are overviewed.

This paper describes the design and manufacture of broadband metal dielectric absorbers. First, we give some design principles to obtain achromatic absorption properties. Then, we describe a new method to determine the complex refractive index of metallic layers. A graded index model is developed to take account of the evolution of the film packing density. Manufacturing is detailed in the last section. Absorption levels higher than 99.9% have been measured over the visible range.

In the context of Research and Technology (R&T), studies have been performed on the coatings of vane edge in the 0.4 to 1 μm spectral range. The main purposes of the study were to improve the diffusing black coatings available on the market and to look for other diffusing black coatings. At the same time, we have also improved the machining technologies of vane edges. The characterisation (thermal tests, radiometric measurements, adhesion tests) of the most promising technologies has been carried out. The results have pointed out the stainless steel vanes with the edge obtained by polishing or by advanced grinding.

PLANCK and FIRST will be launched from the European Space Port Kourou by an Ariane 5 in 2007 and spin-operated during 14 months at the L2 Lagrangian point. The aims of PLANCK are to obtain definitive images of the CMB fluctuations and to subtract the primordial signal to high accuracy from contaminating astrophysical source of emission. This can be achieved by a space telescope having a wide frequency coverage and excellent control of systematic errors (eg. stray light and thermal variations).

The telescope is an off-axis aplanatic design consisting of two concave ellipsoidal mirrors with a 1.5-meter pupil, derived from radio frequency antenna, but with a very wide spectral domain ranging from far infrared (350 µm) up to millimeter wavelengths (10 mm). The short wavelength detectors (bolometers operating at 0.1 K) are located at the centre of the focal plane while the high wavelength ones (based on HEMT amplifier technology operating at 20 K) are located at the periphery.

The Planck telescope operates at a temperature below 60 K. This level is achieved in a passive way, i.e. using a cryogenic radiator. Furthermore, this radiator must accommodate a set of coolers dedicated to the focal plane, cooling one of the experiments down to 0.1 K.

The main performance of the Planck spacecraft is the result of the electromagnetic performance of its telescope combined with its capacity to reject parasitic signals characterised by the Straylight Induced Noise (SIN). In this case , three sources are studied and modelled, the internal straylight coming from the spacecraft itself, the galactic straylight coming from the sky, and the straylight induced by planets. This paper will describe the methods, tools and results obtained by Alcatel to assess this performance.

The COROT telescope, of which the customer is the French "INSU" / "CNES" (Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers / Centre National des Etudes Spatiales) is in fact a very precise and stable imaging instrument, which will be pointed towards fixed areas in the sky (each containing more than 3000 target stars) for periods of at least 5 months, in order to carry out its two missions.

Space optics is continuously pushing its suppliers like SAGEM towards new limits. In this paper, latest developments of state of the art space optical equipment will be presented through SAGEM, and its REOSC Products family, contribution to several projects presently running in the company.

Silicon Carbide technology is proposed by Astrium SAS (France) for building FIRST 3.5 meter telescope. Due to available facilities limitations, the primary reflector blank is made of twelve brazed segments, in pie segmentation. The blank is then ground and polished to the desired surface error performance (about 2 μm rms). For demonstrating the proposed technology, Astrium has built and tested a spherical reflector of diameter 1.35 meter under an ESA contract, by deliberately and strictly following the manufacturing process which is proposed for FIRST primary reflector. The paper describes the major manufacturing steps of the reflector and the test results. The 1.35 meter reflector is made of nine brazed segment. The blank has been successfully manufactured, then ground and polished in 1999. The reflector distortion was optically measured at 110 K by using an infrared interferometer working at 10.6 μm wavelength. The reflector was then submitted to vibration tests and to an acoustic test. All tests are successful and the results demonstrate the suitability of the proposed technology for FIRST.

The international Rosetta mission, now planned by ESA to be launched in January 2003, will provide a unique opportunity to directly study the nucleus of comet 46P/Wirtanen and its activity in 2013.

We describe here the design, the development and the performances of the telescope of the Narrow Angle Camera of the OSIRIS experiment et its Silicon Carbide telescope which will give high resolution images of the cometary nucleus in the visible spectrum. The development of the mirrors has been specifically detailed.

The SiC parts have been manufactured by BOOSTEC, polished by STIGMA OPTIQUE and ion figured by IOM under the prime contractorship of ASTRIUM. ASTRIUM was also in charge of the alignment. The final optical quality of the aligned telescope is 30 nm rms wavefront error.

Future earth observation optical systems will be more and more demanding in terms of ground sampling distance, swath width, number of spectral bands, duty cycle. Existing architectures of focal planes and video processing electronics are hardly compatible with these new requirements: electronic functions are split in several units, and video processing is limited to frequencies around 5 MHz in order to fulfil the radiometric requirements expected for high performance image quality systems. This frequency limitation induces a high number of video chains operated in parallel to process the huge amount of pixels at focal plane output, and leads to unacceptable mass and power consumption budgets.

Furthermore, splitting the detection electronics functions into several units (at least one for the focal plane and proximity electronics, and one for the video processing functions) does not optimise the production costs : specific development efforts must be performed on critical analogue electronics at each equipment level and operations of assembly, integration and tests are duplicated at equipment and subsystem levels.

Alcatel Space Industries has proposed to CNES a new concept of highly integrated detection electronics (SEDHI), and is developing for CNES a breadboard which will allow to confirm its potentialities.

This paper presents the trade-off study which have been performed before selection of this new concept and summarises the main advantages and drawbacks of each possible architecture. The electrical, mechanical and thermal aspects of the SEDHI concept are described, including the basic technologies : ASIC for phase shift of detector clocks, ASIC for video processing, hybrids, microchip module... The adaptability to a large amount of missions and optical instruments is also discussed.

Doppler lidars measure the range resolved Line-of-Sight (LOS) wind component by extracting the Doppler shift of radiation backscattered from atmospheric aerosols and molecules.The virtual instrument was tested with an existing airborne Doppler lidar to get confidence on the simulation.The local model (LM) of the German Weather Service produced data for all the levels in the atmosphere with the same information as for the global model within a finer grid (7km).

Detection of vegetation fluorescence gives information about plant functioning, stress and vitality. During the past decades several ground based laser fluorosensors have been developed to investigate these processes and to demonstrate the value of this technique.

FLEX (= FLuorescense EXplorer) is a space mission to measure the fluorescence of vegetation on earth over large areas from space. Such a mission would greatly improve the understanding and enhance the capability to quantify e.g. the role of terrestrial vegetation in global carbon sequestration. Because the fluorescence signal, which is excited by solar irradiation is low with respect to the reflected sunlight the signal from a satellite is proposed to be measured in the solar Fraunhofer lines, where the reflection signal is much reduced.

The heart of FLEX is a high resolution imaging spectrometer with 2 channels: channel 1 around the Fraunhofer lines at ‡ = 397 nm, ‡= 423 nm and/or ‡ = 434 nm and channel 2 around the Fraunhofer line at ‡ = 656 nm. The required spectral resolution will depend on the linewidth (0.02-0.3 nm).

A first definition of the field of view is 8.4 degrees, leading from an 800 km satellite altitude to a swath of about 120 km. For detection a 1024x1024 pixel frame transfer CCD detector is proposed, with a pixel dimension of 13 x 13 ‡ mm2. The maximum footprint is about 500x500m². The optical configuration contains a scan mirror for solar calibration, for pointing the FOV in swath direction and for freezing the observed ground scene up to a few seconds to increase the signal to noise performance.

At this moment the concept of FLEX is elaborated in a feasibility study. Both the scientific and instrument requirements are updated and the concept is studied in detail. Besides a development plan for FLEX is made.

In this paper the idea and the headlines of FLEX are described.

The future Earth observation missions aim at delivering images with a high resolution and a large field of view. The PLEIADES mission, coming after the SPOT satellites, lead to enhance the resolution to submetric values with a swath over 20km. Panchromatic and multispectral images will be proposed. Starting with the mission requirements elaborated by the CNES, Alcatel Space Industries has conducted a study to identify the instrument concepts most suited to comply with these performance. In addition, to minimise the development costs, a mini satellite approach has been selected, leading to a compact concept for the instrument design. During the study, various detection techniques and the associated detectors have been investigated from classical pushbroom to supermode acquisition modes. For each of these options, different optical lay-outs were proposed and evaluated with respect to performance as well as interfaces requirements. Optical performance, mechanical design constraints and manufacturing processes were taken into account to assess the performances of the various solutions. Eventually the most promising concept was selected and a preliminary design study performed. This concept, based on a Korsch optical scheme associated with TDI detectors, complies with the mission requirements and allows for a wide number of possibilities of accommodation with a minisatellite class platform.

The feasibility of a compact Fourier-Transform-Imaging-Spectrometer (FTIS) for small satellite remote sensing missions is currently being studied under ESA contract. Compared to classical hyperspectral imagers using dispersive spectrometers the major advantages of the FTIS is the compact optics module and the tolerable higher detector temperature, thus easing the instrument thermal design. The feasibility of this instrument concept will be demonstrated by breadboarding.

Microbolometers are infrared detectors of an emerging technology mainly developed in US and few other countries for few years. The main targets of these developments are low performing and low cost military and civilian applications like survey cameras.

Applications in space are now arising thanks to the design simplification and the associated cost reduction allowed by this new technology.

Among the four instruments of the payload of PICASSO-CENA, the Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR) is based on the microbolometer technology. An infrared camera in development for the IASI instrument is the core of the IIR.

The aim of the paper is to recall the PICASSO-CENA mission goal, to describe the IIR instrument architecture and highlight its main features and performances and to give the its development status.

The contribution of the thermal infrared (TIR) camera to the Earth observation FUEGO mission is to participate; to discriminate the clouds and smoke; to detect the false alarms of forest fires; to monitor the forest fires.

Consequently, the camera needs a large dynamic range of detectable radiances. A small volume, low mass and power are required by the small FUEGO payload. These specifications can be attractive for other similar missions.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is defining candidate missions for Earth Observation. In the class of the Earth Explorer missions, dedicated to research and pre-operational demonstration, the Land Surface Processes and Interactions Mission (LSPIM) will acquire the accurate quantitative measurements needed to improve our understanding of the nature and evolution of biosphere-atmosphere interactions and to contribute significantly to a solution of the scaling problems for energy, water and carbon fluxes at the Earth’s surface. The mission is intended to provide detailed observations of the surface of the Earth and to collect data related to ecosystem processes and radiation balance. It is also intended to address a range of issues important for environmental monitoring, renewable resources assessment and climate models. The mission involves a dedicated maneuvering satellite which provides multi-directional observations for systematic measurement of Land Surface BRDF (BiDirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) of selected sites on Earth. The satellite carries an optical payload : PRISM (Processes Research by an Imaging Space Mission), a multispectral imager providing reasonably high spatial resolution images (50 m over 50 km swath) in the whole optical spectral domain (from 450 nm to 2.35 μm with a resolution close to 10 nm, and two thermal bands from 8.1 to 9.1 μm). This paper presents the results of the Phase A study awarded by ESA, led by ALCATEL Space Industries and concerning the design of LSPIM.

1500 volcanoes on the Earth are potentially active, one third of them have been active during this century and about 70 are presently erupting. At the beginning of the third millenium, 10% of the world population will be living in areas directly threatened by volcanoes, without considering the effects of eruptions on climate or air-trafic for example. The understanding of volcanic eruptions, a major challenge in geoscience, demands continuous monitoring of active volcanoes.

The only way to provide global, continuous, real time and all-weather information on volcanoes is to set up a Space Volcano Observatory closely connected to the ground observatories. Spaceborne observations are mandatory and implement the ground ones as well as airborne ones that can be implemented on a limited set of volcanoes.

SVO goal is to monitor both the deformations and the changes in thermal radiance at optical wavelengths from high temperature surfaces of the active volcanic zones. For that, we propose to map at high resolution (1 to 1,5 m pixel size) the topography (stereoscopic observation) and the thermal anomalies (pixel-integrated temperatures above 450°C) of active volcanic areas in a size of 6 x 6 km to 12 x 12 km, large enough for monitoring most of the target features. A return time of 1 to 3 days will allow to get a monitoring useful for hazard mitigation.

The paper will present the concept of the optical payload, compatible with a micro/mini satellite (mass in the range 100 – 400 kg), budget for the use of Proteus platform in the case of minisatellite approach will be given and also in the case of CNES microsat platform family.

This kind of design could be used for other applications like high resolution imagery on a limited zone for military purpose, GIS, evolution cadaster…

Among the technologies available for gyroscopes usable in space, the Fibre Optic Gyroscope (FOG) technology appears to be the most suitable: no moving parts, very good lifetime, low power consumption, very low random walk, arbitrarily low angular resolution and very good behaviour in radiations and vacuum.

Benefiting from more than ten years of experience with this technology, Ixsea (formerly the Navigation Division of Photonetics) is developing space FOG under both CNES and ESA contracts since many years.

In the 1996-1998 period, two space FOG demonstrators in the 0,01°/h class were manufactured, including an optical head (optic and optoelectronic part) designed for space use and a standard ground electronics. Beyond the demonstration of the specified FOG performances, the behaviour of the optical head has been validated for use in typical space environment: vibrations, shocks, radiations (up to 50 krad) and thermal vacuum.

Since the beginning of 1999, Ixsea is developing a space electronics in order to manufacture two complete space FOG. The first one entered in qualification in October. The second one will be delivered beginning of next year, it will be used in a CNES attitude measurement experiment (MAGI) onboard the FrenchBrazilian Microsatellite (FBM) partly dedicated to technology evaluation.

The purpose of the PHARAO project is to develop a new atomic clock generation in space. This clock takes advantage of the very low atomic velocities obtained by laser cooling techniques and the microgravity environment.

Designing the PHARAO optical bench, which provides all the laser tools for the atomic manipulations, is a difficult task. In this paper we will give a global overview of the optical bench in term of functions, interfaces and performances. After establishing the optical parameters, which have an impact on the atomic clock performance, we present the model and software, which are used for the design and analysis of the optical system, taking into account the Gaussian laser beams. Some critical functions have been experimented and characterized to prove the model’s accuracy.

The SED16 is an autonomous multi-missions star tracker which delivers three axis satellite attitude in an inertial reference frame and the satellite angular velocity with no prior information. The qualification process of this star sensor includes five validation steps using optical star simulator, digitized image simulator and a night sky tests setup. The night sky testing was the final step of the qualification process during which all the functions of the star tracker were used in almost nominal conditions : Autonomous Acquisition of the attitude, Autonomous Tracking of ten stars. These tests were performed in Calern in the premises of the OCA (Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur). The test set-up and the test results are described after a brief review of the sensor main characteristics and qualification process.

CMOS image sensors are generally considered as being particularly suited to the harsh space environment, if they can get their performance up to the CCD levels. Recent developments indicate however that this object can be achieved.

This paper presents the current state of the art in CMOS Active Pixel Sensors (APS) for space applications at Fillfactory and also highlights some commercial and industrial development that can be of interest for the space community.

We have designed and built a free space secure key exchange system using weak laser pulses with polarisation modulation by acousto-optic switching. We have used this system to exchange keys over a 1.2km ground range with absolute security. Building from this initial result we analyse the feasibility of exchanging keys to a low earth orbit satellite.

The purpose of this theoretical study carried out under CNES contract is to analyze the feasibility of small space debris detection and classification with an optical sensor on-board micro-satellite. Technical solutions based on active and passive sensors are analyzed and compared. For the most appropriated concept an optimization was made and theoretical performances in terms of number of detection versus class of diameter were calculated. Finally we give some preliminary physical sensor features to illustrate the concept (weight, volume, consumption,…).

The are of (sub)millimetre wave and far-infrared antenna technology is a very dynamic sector in electromagnetics. Several future ESA missions have been planned and their requirements are pushing the limits of existing technologies.

Feasibility studies have provided baseline concepts, which have helped to grasp the main features of these instruments and to identify their critical aspects. A number of scientific and technical activities have then followed, dedicated to specific topics. The paper discusses (sub)millimetre wave and far-infrared Earth observation and astronomical instruments.

Furthermore, generic technology work carried out in the frame of ESA contracts, applicable to this frequency range, is reported on.

Small prototypes of gravitational wave detectors have been under development for over 30 years. But it is only now that we have the necessary technology available to build large instruments with good sensitivity. After several years of construction, the first ground-based interferometers will go into operation in 2001 and a space-based detector is expected to be launched in 2010. These instruments will complement each other because the gravitational wave spectrum extends over many decades in frequency. Ground-based detectors can only observe the audio-frequency regime are only accessible from space because of the unshieldable background of local gravitational noise on the ground.

Alcatel Space has been responsible for a feasibility study contract, awarded by the European Space Agency, and dedicated to the definition of preliminary interferometric concepts for the direct detection and characterisation of exo-planets associated with nearby stars.

The retained concept is a six free-flyer-telescope interferometer, with a variable baseline ranging from 50 to 500 m. The collected wavefronts are combined on a 7^th free-flying hub satellite at the centre of the array, and the observations are performed in the thermal Infra-Red spectral band. The latter choice is made for two reasons : firstly, the wavelength providing optimal contrast between the planetary and stellar (background) signals is approximately 10μm; secondly, the spectral features of interest for the detection of life as we know it (CO₂, H₂O, O₃ , CH₄ ... ) lie in the band between 6 and 18 μm.

The system requirements for such an instrument are very severe, owing to the physical nature of the mission concept; i.e. that of a coronographic stellar interferometer: in order to achieve satisfactory extinction of the unwanted flux generated by the central star, such a concept will impose the control of optical pathlength differences between telescopes to within a small fraction of a wavelength, milli-arcsec pointing stabilities, 10^-3 amplitude equalisation, achromatic check-shifts of some beams with respect to the others, and the use of passively cooled cryogenic telescopes.

The DARWIN mission is a project of the European Space Agency that should allow around 2012 the search for extrasolar planets and a spectral analysis of their potential atmosphere in order to evidence gases and particularly tracers of life.

The principle of the instrument is based on the Bracewell nulling interferometer. It allows high angular resolution and high dynamic range. However, this concept, proposed more than 20 years ago, has never been experimentally demonstrated in the thermal infrared with high levels of extinction. We present here a laboratory monochromatic experiment dedicated to this goal.

A theoretical and numerical approach of the question highlights a strong difficulty: the need for very clean and homogeneous wavefronts, in terms of intensity, phase and polarisation distribution. A classical interferometric approach appears to be insufficient to reach our goals. We have shown theoretically then numerically that this difficulty can be surpassed if we perform an optical filtering of the interfering beams. This technique allows us to decrease strongly the optical requirements and to view very high interferometric contrast measurements with commercial optical pieces.

We present here a laboratory interferometer working at 10,6 microns, and implementing several techniques of optical filtering (pinholes and single-mode waveguides), its realisation, and its first promising results. We particularly present measurements that exhibit stable visibility levels better than 99,9% that is to say extinction levels better than 1000.

The NASA Small Mission EXplorer GALEX (PI: C.Martin, Caltech) is under development at JPL for launch late 2001. It has been designed to map the history of star formation in the Universe over the redshift range 0-2, a major era where galaxies and gas content evolved dramatically. The expected depth and imaging quality matches the Palomar Observatory Surveys, allowing GALEX to provide the astronomical community with a database of FUV photometric and spectroscopic observations of several million galaxies in the nearby and distant Universe. The 1.24 degree FOV, 50 cm aperture compact Ritchey-Chrétien telescope is equipped with two 65 mm photon-counting detectors. It will perform several surveys of different coverage and depths, that will take advantage of a high throughput UV-transmissive Grism newly developed in France to easily switch between imagery and field spectroscopy modes. A thin aspherized fused silica dichroic component provides simultaneous observations in two UV bands (135-185 nm and 185-300 nm) as well as correction for field aberrations. We shall briefly present the mission science goals, and will describe the optical concept, along with the guidelines and compromises used for its optimization in the context of the "Faster, Better, Cheaper" NASA philosophy, and give a brief development status report.

Recent results from solar observations in the far and extremeultraviolet (FUV/EUV) obtained from SOHO (SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory) and TRACE (Transition Region Camera) show the extreme variability of the solar atmosphere. Within the limited resolution of the instruments (1-2 arcseconds) horizontal and vertical velocities up-to 100 to 400 km s^-1 have been measured. With an horizontal velocity of 100 km s^-1 an one arsecond structure crosses the one arcsecond slit width of a classical slit spectrometer in less than 10 seconds. In the future, with higher angular resolution (e.g. 0.1 arcsecond), the capability to study small structures will be greatly reduced by a classical slit spectrometer.

To be able to characterize the small scale solar atmospheric structures formed in the 10⁴ K to 10⁶ K temperature range (which emit in the 30 to 180 nm wavelength range) a spectrometer without slit (or with wide slit) is required. At the same time to obtain an accurate measurement of the doppler velocity an high spectral resolution is needed. The two requirements, high spectral resolution and large slit, are difficult to be simultaneously fulfilled with a classical slit spectrometer within the limited volume of a space instrumentation. Also, we propose to use an Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (IFTS) to provide simultaneously a bidimensionnal field and an accurate determination of line profiles and positions.

The development of Fourier Transform Spectrometers (FTS), although popular in the infrared, has been very limited in the UV/FUV by the lack of very high quality beam splitter. Since 10 years, the use of diffraction gratings as beam splitters has been suggested and few intruments have been built ([Chak 94]; [Clea 92]; [File 00]). These instruments illustrate some applications in the new wavelength domain opened by using a beam splitter grating, but do not yet provide the full capabilities of an FTS.

In this paper we present several optical schemes which can provide the full capabilities of a complete IFTS in the FUV/EUV spectral range.

The PICARD microsatellite mission will provide 3 to 4 years simultaneous measurements of the solar diameter, differential rotation and solar constant to investigate the nature of their relations and variabilities. The major instrument, SODISM, is a whole Sun imaging telescope of Ø110 mm which will deliver an absolute measure (better than 4 mas) of the solar diameter and solar shape. Now in Phase B, PICARD is expected to be launched by 2005. We recall the scientific goals linked to the diameter measurement with interest for Earth Climate, Space Weather and Helioseismology, present the instrument optical concept and design, and give a brief overview of the program aspects.

This paper is focused on the NGST telescope aspects and presents the main results of the ESA study “NGST Payload Suite and Telescope”.

The first part summarises the trade-off analyses on optical, mechanical and control telescope concepts, and eventually proposes a baseline design for the telescope.

The second part describes the possible European contributions to the NGST telescope : invitations to tender based on the selected telescope design have been sent out to specialised European companies, and the results have been reported as well as the identified critical areas and needed associated developments.

Alcatel is well known in the field of cryogenic optics through the realisation of the Infrared Space Observatory, and in the field of high resolution telescopes, notably in the framework of military programmes.

In the search for extra-solar Earth-like planets, nulling interferometry is required. This technique provides the extinction of the light from the parent star so as to "see" objects in its immediate vicinity. This nulling process is based on appropriate phase shifts applied to the collected waves made to destructively interfere. These phase shifts must be performed in the thermal infrared domain and must be achromatic so as to enable working on a large bandwidth.

After briefly recalling the principle of nulling interferometry, we state what should mean "achromatic" in the context and we present various techniques potentially able to meet the stated requirements. Critical points and interesting features of the presented techniques are outlined.

SAGEM, through its REOSC Products family is presently participating to several aerospace astronomical projects requiring high performance optics.

A 50 mm diameter membrane mirror was designed and manufactured at TU Delft. It is made from bulk silicon by micromachining - a technology primarily used for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). The mirror unit is equipped with 39 actuator electrodes and can be electrostatically deformed to correct wavefront errors in optical imaging systems. Performance tests on the deformable mirror were carried out at Astrium GmbH using a breadboard setup with a wavefront sensor and a closed-loop control system. It was found that the deformable membrane mirror is well suited for correction of low order wavefront errors as they must be expected in lightweighted space telescopes.

The Space Interferometry Mission, scheduled for launch in 2008, is an optical stellar interferometer with a 10 meter baseline capable of micro-arcsecond accuracy astrometry. A mission-enabling technology development program is underway at JPL, including the design and test of heterodyne interferometer metrology gauges to monitor the separation of optical components of the stellar interferometer. The gauges are required to have a resolution of 15 picometers and to track the motion of mirrors over several meters. We report laboratory progress in meeting these goals.

The first problem to be solved in most optical designs with respect to stray light is that of internal reflections on the several surfaces of individual lenses and mirrors, and on the detector itself. The level of stray light ratio can be considerably reduced by taking into account the stray light during the optimization to determine solutions in which the irradiance due to these ghosts is kept to the minimum possible value.

Unhappily, the routines available in most optical design software’s, for example CODE V, do not permit all alone to make exact quantitative calculations of the stray light due to these ghosts. Therefore, the engineer in charge of the optical design is confronted to the problem of using two different software’s, one for the design and optimization, for example CODE V, one for stray light analysis, for example ASAP. This makes a complete optimization very complex .

Nevertheless, using special techniques and combinations of the routines available in CODE V, it is possible to have at its disposal a software macro tool to do such an analysis quickly and accurately, including Monte-Carlo ray tracing, or taking into account diffraction effects. This analysis can be done in a few minutes, to be compared to hours with other software’s.

Diffraction gratings are know, and have been fabricated for more than one century. They are now making a come back for two reasons: first, because they are now better understood which leads to the efficient exploitation of what was then called their “anomalies”; secondly, because they are now fabricable by means of the modern manufacturing potential of planar technologies. Novel grating can now perform better than conventional gratings, and address new application fields which were not expected to be theirs. This is the case of spatial applications where they can offer multiple optical functions, low size, low weight and mechanical robustness.

The proposed contribution will briefly discuss the use of gratings for spatial applications. One of the most important applications is in the measurement of displacement. Usual translation and rotation sensors are bulky devices, which impose a system breakdown leading to cumbersome and heavy assemblies. We are proposing a miniaturized version of the traditional moving grating technique using submicron gratings and a specific OptoASIC which enables the measurement function to be non-obtrusively inserted into light and compact electro-mechanical systems. Nanometer resolution is possible with no compromise on the length of the measurement range.

Another family of spatial application is in the field of spectrometers where new grating types allow a more flexible processing of the optical spectrum.

Another family of applications addresses the question of inter-satellite communications: the introduction of gratings in laser cavities or in the laser mirrors enables the stabilization of the emitted polarization, the stabilization of the frequency as well as wide range frequency sweeping without mobile parts.

Light scattering is well known to be dependent on the optical properties and surface roughness or bulk inhomogeneities of components. Angular scattering measurements and the development of electromagnetic theories at Institut Fresnel Marseilles permit to quantify the roughness behaviour. Measurements can be performed at different wavelengths from the UV to the near IR to access to different scales of characterization. Atomic Force Microscopy is used to complete these measurements at the microscopic scale, and predict the surface behaviour in the X rays domain. All these techniques rise to a multiscale characterization of all surfaces, which reveals in most cases fractal behaviours. The scatterometer has been extended and allows to perform ellipsometric measurements on scattered light in each direction of space. Results can be investigated by electromagnetic theories. They permit to directly separate bulk and surface effects in the case of bare substrates and reveal the high sensitivity of the polarimetric phase difference to the presence of contaminants on surfaces, even in the case of first order contaminants, that is to say whose size is in the same order as the substrate roughness.

Astronomical aperture synthesis requires to combine beams coming from telescopes, with constraints on mechanical and thermal stability, accuracy on the measurement of the interferences visibility. One adapted way for solving the problem is integrated planar optics. A first two telescope beam combiner made by ion exchange technique on glass substrate and build with symmetric Y-junction provides laboratory white light interferograms simultaneously with photometric calibration. In order to increase the interferometric signal without loss of photometric output, we propose to replace symmetric Y-junctions by asymmetric ones. In this paper, we report the conception, the manufacturing and the characterization of asymmetric Y-junction realized by ion exchange on glass substrate. The specific application of astronomical interferometry required the characterization of such component in term of spectral behavior, so we report the simulation and the measurement of asymmetric Y-junction response versus wavelength.

New uncooled infrared microbolometer arrays now allow to obtain detection limit as low as 50 mK (f/1, 60Hz).

The aim of this paper is to generalize the four-flux radiative transfer model to the case of a multilayer medium. An application is presented with the study of the optical degradation of a white paint in simulated space environment. This paint is constituted of a mixing a zinc oxide and a silicone resin. A sample was irradiated with 45 keV protons and reflectance measurements were achieved in situ after each step of irradiation in order to see the evolution of the thermo-optical properties of the coating. These tests were completed after irradiation by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in order to characterize the structure of the material and to detect possible structural changes due to the irradiation. This experimental investigation allowed us to define hypothesis to be introduced in the model. In particular, we assume that the optical degradation centered on 410 nm is due to a variation a∓ of the imaginary part of the refractive index of zinc oxide in the damaged layer. The generalized four-flux model was validated by comparing numerical calculation with experiment.

The applications and innovations related to the ultraviolet field are today in strong growth. To satisfy these developments which go from biomedical to the large equipment like the Storage Ring Free Electron Laser, it is crucial to control with an extreme precision the optical performances, in using the substrates and the thin film materials impossible to circumvent in this spectral range. In particular, the reduction of the losses by electromagnetic diffusion, Joule effect absorption, or the behavior under UV luminous flows of power, resistance to surrounding particulate flows... become top priority which concerns a broad European and international community.

Our laboratory has the theoretical, experimental and technological tools to design and fabricate numerous multilayer coatings with desirable optical properties in the visible and infrared spectral ranges. We have extended our expertise to the ultraviolet. We present here some results on high reflectivity multidielectric mirrors towards 250 nm in wavelength, produced by Ion Plating Deposition. The latter technique allows us to obtain surface treatments with low absorption and high resistance.

We give in this study the UV transparent materials and the manufacturing technology which have been the best suited to meet requirements.

Single UV layers were deposited and characterized. HfO₂/SiO₂ mirrors with a reflectance higher than 99% at 300 nm were obtained. Optical and non-optical characterizations such as UV spectrophotometric measurements, X-Ray Diffraction spectra, Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope images were performed

We present the design and fabrication aspects of an integrated optics interferometer used in the optical head of a compact and lightweight displacement sensor developed for spatial applications.

The process for fabricating the waveguides of the optical chip is a double thermal ion exchange of silver and sodium in a silicate glass. This two step process is adapted for the fabrication of high numerical aperture buried waveguides having negligible losses for bending radius as low as 10 mm.

The optical head of the sensor is composed of a reference arm, a sensing arm and an interferometer which generates a one dimensional fringe pattern allowing a multiphase detection. Four waveguides placed at the output of the interferometer deliver four ideally 90° phase shifted signals.

Planar integrated optics present an attractive solution for future instrumentation, both in ground and space based applications. The technologies used in the manufacturing of such components, supported by research laboratories as well as industries, are mature enough to provide complex devices.

SESO has increased by an important factor its capabilities of aspherical polishing with the technology of computer assisted polishing.

Integrated optics, applied to astronomical interferometry, bring several decisive benefits compared to bulk optics : mechanical and thermal stability, small size, facility to realize combiners for many telescopes. At this time, numerous compoments were dezigned, realized and tested for stellar interferometry applications. Laboratory characterization in the VIS/NIR wavelengths confirm the expected capabilities and performances.

At thermal infrared wavelengths, the concept of integrated optics is of great interest for spatial instrumentations and particulary for the Darwin/IRSI mission. The aim of the mission, launched in 2012−2015, is the detection and the spectroscopic study of extrasolar planets. Our long term goal is the development of monomode integrated optic components for thermal infrared wavelengths. In the near futur, we are interested by the conception and the realization of single mode straight waveguide for using in modal filtering.

In this paper, we present the conception of first thermal waveguide and their characterizations. Around different solutions, we focused our attention on the utilization of chalcogenide glasses because of its wide transmission window, from 1 to 20 microns depending of the material composition, and of the potentially low propagation losses.

This paper presents new advances concerning the development of an Aluminum Matrix Composite for dimensionally stable satellite structures. Feasibility of thermally stable thin-walled tubes have been acquired through microstructure observation and Coefficient of Thermal Expansion measurement.

In order to fit the thermo-mechanical stability domain of tubes on specifications, 3 thermal cycles have been tested, regarding to relaxation of internal stress and changes in macroscopic thermo-mechanical properties. Experimental expansion curves and microstructure observation show that thermal treatments permitts such a good fitting. For a better understanding of physical internal phenomena, internal stress has been measured by neutron diffraction on tube samples after each thermal treatment. Results show a significant decrease of stress due to cycling in cold temperature.

In order to decrease the absolute value of CTE of assemblies, a new concept of thermo-mechanical stable linkage has been developped, which consists in a common alumlinum infiltration of superposed carbon preforms. Structural bonding, which usually affects stability properties and impose surface treatments and polymerization, can so be avoided.

The study has been achieved through CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) and French Ministry of Defense (DGA) supports.

In space, cooling down Infra Red detectors and optics to cryogenic temperature raises always the same issue : what is the best way to manage simultaneously thermal cooling, stability, mechanical discoupling and accurate focal plane components location, in a lightweight and compact solution? The passive cryocooler developed by Alcatel SPace Industries under CNES contract in the frame of the IASI instrument (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer), offers an efficient solution for 90K to 100K temperature levels. We intend you to present the architecture and performance validation plan of the CBS.

The PICARD space borne instrument observes the Sun from far UV to visible wavelengths. Very high geometrical and radiometric accuracy is required to measure the Sun's local diameter. Thus this instrument is very sensitive to stray light. Multiple reflections between the detector, the mirrors and the filters have been modelled with ASAP 6. They are not very critical for a point source, but for a broad source they add a notable contribution, biasing the edge of the Sun image. Near specular scatter from optics also enlarges the instrumental response, especially at short wavelengths. Scatter from baffles and structures is less critical, but the later need a careful design. To fulfil the mission, stay light shall be predicted very accurately, based on measured data, then taken into account in the image processing. Accuracy depends on the model sampling, the reflectivity and contamination of optics, and the misalignments of the filter wheels.

The contamination of optics can considerably degrade the transmission and scattering of spacecraft optics. To prevent efficiently optics from contamination involves introducing since design phase requirements on materials and protections (covers…). Then, integration and test phase demands to implement heavy and stringent means (clean room, specific garment, covers…) and a permanent monitoring by fine contamination measurement of instrument environment and surfaces. Contamination budgets are drawn the project along, first prediction budgets based on analysis and potentially modeling, during design phase, then actual budgets based on contamination measurement during integration and test phase. Finally, the risk still exists to have to clean optics because of hazardous contamination, furthermore to dismount them.

The cleanliness engineering set at ASTRIUM Toulouse is presented here, including the contamination monitoring via witness samples measured by IR spectrometry and via counters. ASTRIUM is presently focusing attention on no contact cleaning like the promising UV-ozone process.

Molecular assembly interfaces can be characterised by mechanical testing and/or the interaction between waves and the interface. The disadvantage of the mechanical approach is that new defects may be produced at the interface, or existing defects may be destroyed.

Using the interaction between waves and the interface is a non-destructive approach. But what kind of waves should be used? Electromagnetic waves in the visible range depend on wave attenuation in the material, infrared waves also depend on the thickness and X-ray waves have a too short a wave length to detect interface defects. In this article, the use of acoustic waves is proposed for non-destructive examination of molecular assembly interfaces.

Acoustic wave propagation is very sensitive to variations in interface characteristics depending on whether the waves are reflected or transmitted. To improve the sensitivity and resolution of this technique, small wave lengths have been used with a scanning acoustic microscope (S.A.M.) with a band width from 1MHz to 400 MHz. After a short description of the principle of the method, results are given for different types of components. Different applications of acoustic microscopy are proposed for non-destructive examination of interfaces and defect detection in materials.

Single-mode wavelength-stabilized light sources are key devices for spectroscopic applications, optical sensors, wavelength division multiplexing systems. Among the variety of wavelength stabilization schemes, external cavity lasers have been widely used to achieve, with narrow spectral linewidth and wavelength tunability, stable single mode oscillation at a specified wavelength.

It is well known within the Space optics community that radiation may significantly affect transmittance of glasses. To overcome this drawback, glass manufacturers have developed Cerium doped counterparts of classical glasses. This doped glasses display much less transmittance sensitivity to radiation. Still, the impact of radiation on refractive index is less known and may affect indifferently classical or Cerium doped glasses.

ESTEC has initialised an R&D program with the aim of establishing a comprehensive data base gathering radiation sensitivity data, called Dose coefficients, for all the glass optical parameters (transmittance / refractive index / compaction……). The first part of this study, to define the methodology for such a data base, is run by ASTRIUM SAS in co-operation with SCK CEN. This covers theoretical studies associated to testing of a selected set of classical and "radiation hardened" glasses.

It is proposed here to present first the theoretical backgrounds of this study and then to give results which have been obtained so far.

The 352 mm tip-tilt SOFIA Secondary Mirror has been developed by the ASTRIUM / BOOSTEC joint venture SiCSPACE, taking full benefit of the intrinsic properties of the BOOSTEC S-SiC sintered material, associated to qualified processes specifically developed for space borne mirrors by ASTRIUM SAS. Achieved performances include a low mass of 1.7 kg, a very high stiffness with a first resonant frequency higher than 2000 Hz and an optical surface accuracy corresponding to a maximum WFE of 50 nm rms.

This mirror is part of the joint NASA-DLR project for a 2.5 m airborne Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).

A new approach to UV holographic filter's manufacturing, when the filters are the volume reflection holograms, working in UV region in the second Bragg diffraction order, is offered. The method is experimentally realized for wavelength of 266 nm.

Taking benefit from its very high specific stiffness and its exclusive thermal stability, the SiCSPACE material is now used for the fabrication of scientific and commercial lightweight space telescopes.

This paper gives a review of the characteristics of this sintered silicon carbide. The BOOSTEC facilities and the technology described here allow to manufacture large structural components or mirrors (up to several meters) at cost effective condition, from a single part to mass production.

Several examples of SiC space optical components are presented.

Photothermoplastic medium (PTPM) is a non-silver two-layer, semiconductor-thermoplastic, structure for optical data recording, which is radiative resistant. It allows to record photographic, holographic and other kinds of optical data without any wet chemical development that giving the maximal economic effect for Space and airborn usage.

The GERB experiment, on-board Meteosat Second Generation, aims at monitoring the Earth radiation budget within a broad spectral range (0.32 –30 ‡m). This paper outlines the development of the GERB imaging subsystem, a f/2 three-mirror anastigmat telescope with a 18° x 0,28° rectangular field-of-view. The telescope is an all-aluminium design, comprising a primary off-axis elliptical mirror and two spherical ones, with a largest size of 100 mm. After integration and environmental testing, its global on-axis imaging performance reached 0,45 ‡ rms at 633 nm for an optical design value of 0,27 ‡ rms. The global opto-mechanical tolerance analysis of the design phase defined an integration sequence able to keep the individual alignment of each mirror within the accuracy needed to ascertain the whole telescope quality.

The three mirror anastigmat (TMA) optical design consists of a primary mirror, a secondary mirror and a tertiary mirror.

In order to simplify instrument design, a new linear area CCD sensor has been developed under CNES responsibility. This detector has four lines 6000 13-μm square pixels long with four stripe filters, one in front of each of them. The detector itself was manufactured and mounted by ATMEL, and the filters were made by SAGEM/REOSC. Assembly was done in two ways, one by ATMEL, the other by SESO. CNES was responsible for the overall design and mechanical/optical interfaces. This paper reports the optical part of this work, including filters placement strategy and line spacing. It will be shown how these two features are closely linked to straylight performance. First, a trade-off study was conducted between several concepts: the results of this study will be presented, as well as the filter design and manufacturing results. They show good transmission and excellent rejection. Final performance of the complete prototypes has been measured, and it will be compared to theoretical models.

Aberration corrected gratings are useful to design spectrographs having the minimum of optical surfaces, thus minimizing light loss such as needed for astronomical instruments.

The purpose of this project was to develop optical waveguide technology to offer polarization maintaining (PM) components for a Nd:YAG laser wavelength at 1.064 μm. The silicon oxynitride waveguide layers were grown with a PECVD method on a silicon wafer. The waveguide height and width are 3.5 μm and 6.0 μm, respectively. A well balanced 3 dB operation was achieved with a 2´2 MMI coupler. The excess loss of the coupler was 2 dB. The polarization maintaining properties were studied by measuring the polarization extinction coefficient (PXR) of the straight waveguides and pigtailed chips. Typical PXR for a 15 mm waveguide was <18 dB. Waveguide crossings at different crossing angles were characterized in terms of excess loss and PXR. Both passive and active fiber alignment was studied to achieve low-loss pigtailing with a polarization maintaining fiber.

At the Institute of Space Sensor Technology and Planetary Exploration of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) has been designed for international missions to planet Mars. For more than three years an airborne version of this camera, the HRSC-A, has been successfully applied in many flight campaigns and in a variety of different applications. It combines 3D-capabilities and high resolution with multispectral data acquisition. Variable resolutions depending on the camera control settings can be generated. A high-end GPS/INS system in combination with the multi-angle image information yields precise and high-frequent orientation data for the acquired image lines. In order to handle these data a completely automated photogrammetric processing system has been developed, and allows to generate multispectral 3D-image products for large areas and with accuracies for planimetry and height in the decimeter range. This accuracy has been confirmed by detailed investigations.

A permanent monitoring of the oceanic algal biomass (phytoplankton), of its photosynthetic activity, ecological and biogeochemical impact, or of its long-term response to changing physical and climatic conditions, is a crucial goal of scientific programmes (such as JGOFS, GLOBEC, LOICZ), as well as of international observing systems (such as GOOS, GCOS, IGOS). After a decade without ocean colour satellite-borne sensor, several instruments have been, or will be launched. They are increasingly sophisticated in their design and operation. Their complexity results from constraints for multipurpose mission (involving not only ocean, but also land and atmosphere), or from requirements for exploratory research projects and development of new methodologies for improved ocean colour interpretation and “advanced” products.

In contrast, the proposed specific ECOSPACE mission is an ocean colour dedicated instrument, with a global monitoring vocation. It relies on known algorithms for accurate atmospheric corrections and aerosol load estimate over open ocean (about 96% of the whole ocean), and known algorithms for a meaningful quantification of the oceanic algal biomass (in terms of Chlorophyll concentration). The coastal zones are observed as well, and their particular features delineated : however, detailed studies that imply high ground resolution and more spectral channels are out of the scope of the present proposal. The ECOSPACE mission represents a feasibility demonstration ; more precisely it is a first step toward the setting up of an operational Satellite System and Services for a future continuous supply of stable, compatible, easy-to-merge ocean colour date products. In essence, such a Service would be similar to those already existing for meteorology and for some oceanic variables (e.g. sea level).

Although new approaches to management and implementation over a short time scale are needed, the ECOSPACE project relies essentially on existing scientific and technological experience developed in particular under ESA funding in the frame of the MERIS project, including sensor simulation and processor, and instrument building. Indeed, most of the ECOSPACE components are already available or in final approval processes ; costly activities on the critical path for a traditional satellite system will be greatly reduced, when not totally cancelled by use of developed µsatellite platform : PROBA from ESA or µSAT from CNES. The same argument holds true for the ground segment, algorithm architecture, and data management. These platforms are compatible of piggy back on ARIANE 5 Launcher.

Alcatel Space Industries has become Europe's leader in the field of high and very high resolution optical payloads, in the frame work of earth observation system able to provide military government with metric images from space. This leadership allowed ALCATEL to propose for the export market, within a French collaboration frame, a complete space based system for metric observation.

The Fourier transform spectrometry is useful to obtain optical spectra with high resolution. But in case of narrow band spectra, the number of sample become very important, related to the useful information (the sampling is proportional to the higher wavelength). By changing the sampling, it is possible to obtain narrow band spectra with far less samples. With fewer samples, static interferometers become possible to use. So with these two ideas (a better sampling and static interferometer) we can build a very simple, compact, and static instrument. We will show several possible application of this instrument.

A motivation to the development of the wide angle Digital Slit Sun Sensor, its main features and technical description are described in this article. The figures of the sensor, troubleshooting encountered during its development, and measured characteristics are presented as well. The difficulties in designing of very wide angle Sun sensor are discussed. It is shown, that if one is interested primary in the accuracy, it is better to construct the sensor with the field of view less then 90° (± 45°).

Description of the Earth horizon sensor is presented. The optoelectronic device is intended for usage in a complex of attitude control and stabilisation systems of the spacecraft orbiting at altitudes from 10000 km to 40000 km. The device of small dimensions and mass has high accuracy along two axes due to two parallel scanning trajectories.

Based on experience of many years creation of spacecrafts' star trackers with diversified detectors (from the first star trackers of 60's to tens versions of star trackers in the following years), using technological achievements in the field of optics and electronics the NPP "Geofizika-Cosmos" has provided celestial orientation for all the space vehicles created in Russia and now has developed a series of new star trackers with CCD matrix and special processors, which are able to meet needs in celestial orientation of the modern spacecrafts for the nearest 10-15 years.

In the given article the main characteristics and description of some star trackers' versions are presented. The star trackers have various levels of technical characteristics and use both combined (Russian and foreign) procurement parts, and only national (Russian) procurement parts for the main units.

Wide-field sun sensors (WSS) are used on various Russian artificial satellites of the Earth and on the interplanetary stations.

This paper presents a procedure for the validation of the software of an advanced star sensor by using a hardware model in a laboratory star field simulator. The mutual calibration of the sensor under test and of the simulator is realised by means of a neural network. It corrects errors from different sources adaptively, without need for specific models. Its correction capability has been compared to analytical models. Results of the procedure operation are presented to show that the angular measurement accuracy can be improved from 0.2° to 0.01°. Finally, its successful adoption for the validation of two star tracker software routines is reported.

Based on the micro-electronics fabrication process, MicroOpto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) are under study, in order to be integrated in next-generation astronomical instruments and telescopes, especially for space missions. The main advantages of micro-optical components are their compactness, scalability, specific task customization using elementary building blocks, and they allows remote control. As these systems are easily replicable, the price of the components is decreasing dramatically when their number is increasing. The two major applications of MOEMS are Multi-Object Spectroscopy masks and Deformable Mirror systems.

The new generation of atomic clocks, using cold atoms, require laser beams with high spectral quality and very fine frequency control.

Optical windows transmission, and their evolution as a consequence of the exposure to the space environment are of primary interest for spacecraft designers and must be accurately predicted.

MEMS technology now makes possible to produce active microdevices combining detection, signal processing, and data storage with accuracy and compactness. In view of their characteristics, it can be expected that such microsensors will be used extensively in space applications dedicated to micro and nano satellites.

For this purpose, a specific investigation dealing with the complete development of a micro-earth sensor used for attitude control of Low Earth Orbit satellites is under realization and test. Based on an infrared uncooled 320x240 microbolometer the experimental characterization of the final active system consists of three microsensors linear arrays of 240 pixels of the same technology, radialy spaced at 120°, watching and receiving earth IR radiations. The transition between excited and non excited pixels will determine the IR image of the Earth/Space transition hidden in IR atmosphere response. Specific on-chip algorithms have been implemented to extract the transition and compute the attitude satellite position in roll and pitch.

The complete physical system modeling of one linear 240 pixels array including earth models, optic characteristics, microbolometer behavioral models, mixed analog/digital electronics and associated algorithms is consistent (at ±8% ) with the breadboard measurements.

We report on the program of design and development of X-ray optics for space applications in the Czech Republic. Having more than 30 years background in X-ray optics development for space applications (for use in astronomical X-ray telescopes onboard spacecrafts, before 1989 mostly for Soviet and East European INTERKOSMOS program), we focus nowadays on novel technologies and approaches, thin shell replicated mirrors, as well as studies of light-weight mirrors based on innovative materials such as ceramics. The collaboration includes teams from the Academy of Sciences, Universities, and industry. We will describe and discuss both the history of the development of Xray optics in the Czech Republic and the developed technologies and approaches (with focus on replication technology) as well as recent activities and developments including our participation on the ESA XEUS mirror technology development based on the Agreement between ESA and Czech Government.

We report on the program of design and development of innovative very wide field X-ray optics for space applications. We describe the idea of wide field X-ray optics of the lobster-eye type of both Angel and Schmidt arrangements. This optics was suggested in 70ies but not yet used in space experiment due to severe manufacturing problems. The lobster-eye X-ray optics may achieve up to 180 degrees (diameter) field of view at angular resolution of order of 1 arcmin. We report on various prototypes of lobster-eye X-ray lenses based on alternative technologies (replicated double sided X-ray reflecting flats, float glass, replicated square channels etc.) as well as on their optical and X-ray tests. We also discuss the importance and performance of lobster-eye X-ray telescopes in future X-ray astronomy projects.

We present the 3 telescopes breadboards used to demonstrate the cophasing and imaging capabilities of the Solar Imaging Interferometer (SOLARNET).

This paper deals with the effect of the telescope size on accuracy of the data acquisition in a optical fibre linked stellar interferometer. In this context we introduce the concept of antenna diagram commonly used for microwaves antennae. This concept is essential to explain the contrasts and the phaseclosure acquisitions corruption in a stellar interferometer. The telescope pointing errors induces additional effects that are superimposed with the field limitation and could become critical.

Planck associated to FIRST is one of the ESA scientific missions belonging to the Horizon 2000 programme. It will be launched by an Ariane 5 in 2007. Planck aims at obtaining very accurate images of the Cosmic Microwave Background fluctuations, thanks to a spaceborne telescope featuring a wide wavelength range and an excellent control of straylight and thermal variations.

The telescope is based on an off-axis gregorian design consisting of two concave ellipsoidal mirrors with a 1.5-meter pupil, derived from radio frequency antenna, but with a very wide spectral domain which ranges from far infrared (350 μm) up to millimetric wavelengths (10 mm). Its field of view is large (10 degrees) owing to a high number of detectors in the focal plane. The short wavelength detectors (bolometers operating at 0.1 K) are located at the centre of the focal plane unit while the long wavelength ones (based on HEMT amplifier technology operating at 20 K) are located at the periphery.

The Planck telescope operates at a temperature below 60 K. This level is achieved in a passive way, i.e. using a cryogenic radiator. Furthermore, this radiator must accommodate a set of coolers dedicated to the focal plane unit, cooling one of the experiments down to 0.1 K.

The Planck mission leads to very stringent requirements (straylight, thermal stability) that can only be achieved by designing the spacecraft at system level, combining optical, radio frequency and thermal techniques in order to achieve the required performance.

The VIRTIS experiment, due to his scientific objectives, has made a technologic gap in terms of analysis performances in the field of imaging spectrometers. The ground calibration is, thus, a fundamental step to achieve a meaningful preparation of the scientific data reduction and analysis. Following a general description of the experimental set-up and its goals, I will present the expected performances that are needed in order to make the ground calibration of VIRTIS experiment.

Le NiP black est un alliage de Nickel-Phosphore poreux présentant un coefficient d'absorption exceptionnel de 0.998, permettant un gain en diffusion d'un facteur 10 à 20 par rapport à la meilleure des peintures noires utilisée sur les baffles et montures des instruments d'optique.

L'industrialisation de ce procédé fait l'objet d'une collaboration entre le CNES, SODERN et MMS afin de répondre au mieux aux exigences des différents instruments spatiaux.

Le faible niveau de diffusion des baffles et des montures des instruments optiques est un élément clé d'un faible niveau de lumière parasite et par voie de conséquence, des performances en détection, imagerie et d'analyse. Les essais réalisés en 98 et 99 sur des visières de senseurs solaires haute précision implantés sur les plate-formes telecom MMS ont confirmé les excellentes performances du senseur obtenues grâce à ce traitement. NiP Black s'incrit dans une démarche générale MMS d'amélioration des performances en lumière parasite des instruments optiques.

Il est proposé de présenter le NiP Black et les performances réalisées sur des visières de senseurs implantés sur les plate-formes MMS, ainsi que son potentiel à venir.