Newport Spectra-Physics Newsletter - #29 - February 2009 - (Page 2)

Page 2 February 2009 w w w. n e w p o r t . c o m Customer Focus Surpassing Space Boundaries Franco-belgian made spectro-radiometer relies on Newport’s motorized positioning device for handling the rotation of the SOLSPEC‘s gratings. SOLSPEC. Newport’s motorized drive mechanisms have been equipping the SOLSPEC spectro-radiometer for over 30 years, exploring and measuring complex solar spectral radiations from space. The partnership evolved when researchers from the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRAIASB) approached MICRO-CONTROLE, Newport’s French subsidiary in 1977. The aim was to provide the most accurate and precise device to determine how solar energy spreads in terms of wavelengths, from ultraviolet through visible to infrared. The key technical challenge facing the design team was to develop from scratch a motorized positioning device for handling the rotation of the SOLSPEC‘s gratings. success, SOLSPEC was modified with the help of MICRO-CONTROLE and used for three consecutive space missions (Atlas 1, 2 and 3) on NASA space shuttles from 1992 to 1994. Subsequently, a second mechanical drive platform, again developed by MICROCONTROLE was installed on SOSP for a ten-month mission on board the “EURECA” platform. The initial brief was intensely complex: the positioning device of the gratings had to operate seamlessly in space, hence very drastic specifications had to be met when engineering the motion control solution: 6.47 µm resolution of the device, an accuracy of 2 µm of the actuator or 10 µrad for the pointer carrying the gratings. There was an average power consumption of only 10 W for the controller driving the device, a weight of only 1200 g for the device (as every gram counts in space), 700 hours life service corresponding to five 7-days missions of 20 hours long each. The device also had to go through severe vibration testing, and perform under a thermal vacuum environment of 10-5 Torr at a temperatures ranging between -30 °C and +70 °C. It also had to comply with the Mill-Standard and NASA standards. In May 2006, for the ISS mission (International Space Station) requested vacuum cold tests from +40 °C down to -52 °C were performed, without any failure of the gratings rotation device. MICRO-CONTROLE delivered the SOLSPEC prototype within six months of order in September 1979. By February 1980, two other models were qualified for space flights. The first flight of the SOLSPEC spectroradiometer took place successfully on the Columbia Space Shuttle (STS-9) in December 1983. Following this MAKE LIGHT | MANAGE LIGHT | MEASURE LIGHT http://www.newport.com http://www.aerov.jussieu.fr/projet/SOLSPEC/SOLSPEC_GB/Home.html http://www.newport.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Newport Spectra-Physics Newsletter - #29 - February 2009

Cover & Contents
Customer Focus
- Surpassing Space Boundaries
Corporate News
- Application Laboratory for Innovative Solutions in Photovoltaics
- Newport Offers Limited Edition Optical Tables to Celebrate 40th Anniversary
Product News : Lasers
MAKE LIGHT
- Mai Tai® eHP DeepSee
- Spectra-Physics Expanded Ultrafast Amplifier Portfolio
- Scan Series
- Allegro
- Hippo™ 1064-27
- Explorer® 532-2
- Excelsior®
- Oriel® Sol3A™
MANAGE LIGHT
- NanoPositioning Range of Piezo-Electrical Actuated Devices
- Newport Makes Hexapod Motion Affordable
- TRA Series
- Agilis™
- New Optics for Ultrafast Laser Applications
- Circular Variable ND Filters
- Low GVD 50/50 Ultrafast
MEASURE LIGHT
- 5700 Series
- 1928-C
- Measuring the “SUN” with A Newport Optical Power Meter
Literature request
Events

Newport Spectra-Physics Newsletter - #29 - February 2009