Mission Instruments |
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Earth Observation Instrument (MEOS) MEOS is an Earth Observation (EO) mission concept for monitoring of the major greenhouse gases and investigation of cloud structures. More specifically, the MEOS goal is to derive global maps of the concentrations of CO2, CH4 and N2O gases and aerosols with high temporal rates and geographical resolution. MPB’s team and their Canadian and international partners have developed the measurement strategy and a suite of advanced miniaturization technologies that can be used on a low-cost microsat platform. The main instrumentation for MEOS is based on MPBC’s patented technology for miniature integrated IR spectrometers. The miniaturized spectrometers provide high performance that is comparable to large bench-top FT-IR systems but in a very compact and ruggedized footprint. The spectrometer employs a broadband IR slab-waveguide, a concave reflection grating, and a linear detector array in a compact monolithic structure. The MEOS mission will employ full spectral coverage of the primary NIR atmospheric transmission bands at 1450-1750 nm and 1950-2400 nm. These spectral bands provide several harmonic absorption bands associated with CO2, CH4 and N2O. By monitoring each of the target greenhouse gases simultaneously using several different relevant absorption peaks, the effects of various interferences can be minimized and additional data averaging is feasible. This multi-spectral mapping considers not only the target gas absorption bands, but also the additional spectral features to provide information about aerosols, H2O vapor, and the surface Albedo. An additional high-resolution tunable microphotonic FP spectrometer will measure the O2 band near 760 nm to provide the total atmospheric content (surface pressure) to about +/- 0.1kPa accuracy. In order to resolve aerosol and cloud structures, MEOS will innovatively combine the Limb vertical profile data of aerosols and with the Nadir mappings. The Limb data will, for the first time, provide a 16 pixel vertical spectral line imaging to provide 0.9 km vertical resolution of aerosols and ice/water clouds with near continuous global mapping of cloud and aerosol structures. The corresponding Nadir measurements will provide 20 km by 6 km ground pixels with a 100 km East-West NIR swath width and 100 km x 100 km boresight VIS imaging. |
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The Inukshuk Canadian Mars lander is designed to give us a glimpse of what lurks beneath the Martian surface. We know that the surface of Mars (the parts that we have seen from previous landers) is covered in rocks and wind-blown dust. Funded by the Canadian Space Agency, the mission is being led by MPB with partners MDA Space Missions in Ontario, and the Department of Geography at the University of Winnipeg. The project is developing the concept of a Mars landed rover to search for signs of water erosion and subsurface water sites based on analysis of mineralogy and sub-surface temperature distribution. The key photonics element of the instrument suite is based on advanced miniature spectrometer operating in the spectral region between 0.8 and 4.5 microns. The combined instrument suite is being designed to: directly and unambiguously detect H2O and determine its state (ice, liquid, structural); distinguish key mineral species and determine their hydration states; as well as detect and differentiate various C-H and C-C molecular structures for astro-biological investigations. For more information, visit Inukshukonmars.ca |
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| PROBA-2
Spacecrafts require extensive “insitu” monitoring of their status and thermal performance, both during ground validation and the subsequent mission in the space environment. This is currently performed using various electronic sensors at a substantial mass and performance penalty due to the shielding requirements. The current electrical sensors have a number of drawbacks, including sensitivity to EMI and sparking, low sensor capacity per wire and high mass penalty due to extensive shielding and harness requirements, reduced sensor response times due to the mechanical barriers, and the proximity requirements for the associated electronics. Fiber-optic sensors are attractive for space applications due to the significant benefits and advantages relative to the current electrical sensors. The substantial benefits include remote placement of sensors and the processing electronics; serial wavelength-division multiplexing for high sensor capacity; high signal integrity due to freedom from EMI; flexible, minimal-mass fiber-optic signal harnesses; and minimal shielding requirements to facilitate higher sensor accuracies and response times. MPB’s team has developed a fiber-laser based sensing system for the monitoring requirements of a spacecraft. This Fiber Sensor Demonstrator (FSD) has been qualified for ESA’s Proba-2 satellite. FSD will be the first demonstration of a full fiber-optic sensor network in the space environment on a satellite. The FSD design incorporates both adaptations of standard fiber-optic components as well as custom-designed sensors and fiber-optic cabling to meet the requirements of operation in space and the monitoring needs of spacecraft propulsion systems. Of particular emphasis were methodologies to integrate the sensors with the spacecraft while maintaining the sensor calibration. The FSD technology demonstrator has been designed to showcase the overall advantages of fiber-optic sensors for space systems:
Proba-2 is the second in ESA's series of small, low-cost satellites that are being used to validate new spacecraft technologies while also carrying scientific instruments. Proba-2 satellite with the FSD is scheduled for launch in 2008. |
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