LDEF: Fraunhofer EMI assisted in carrying out an experimental impact simulation programme to calibrate damages caused by space debris and micrometeorites on LDEF. In those experiments, solar cells were impacted by millimeter-sized bullets.
GIOTTO: Fraunhofer EMI performed hypervelocity impact experiments to assist the designing and testing of an effective shield for protecting various components located on the outside of the GIOTTO spacecraft against cometary particles.
Space Station MIR: Fraunhofer FHR supported the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos during re-entry of the space station MIR with radar images of their TIRA space observation radar.
Olympus: After four years of service, the Olympus Satellite lost its earth alignment and started to tumble. Failure was probably caused by hypervelocity impacts of meteoroid particles. Scientists of Fraunhofer EMI supported the failure investigation through impact tests.
ROSAT: The scientists of Fraunhofer FHR provided measurement data and ISAR-images (Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar) during the re-entry of German X-ray satellite ROSAT.
HUBBLE: Similar to their studies on LDEF, scientists of Fraunhofer EMI calibrated damages caused by space debris and micrometeorites on the Hubble Space Telescope.
BeppoSAX: The damages caused by impact on CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastics) were studied using the two-stage light-gas guns at EMI.
ADEOS I und II: Fraunhofer FHR carried out a damage analysis for the failed japanese satellites ADEOS I and II with the help of the TIRA space observation radar.
CODAG: For the imaging of dust particles in zero gravity during the CODAG mission, the specialists for optical systems at Fraunhofer IOF developed a light-weight microscope support allowing adjustment and synchronous motion of two microscopes.
X-38: Fraunhofer EMI investigated the damages generated by hypervelocity impacts on the nose cap and body flaps of the ISS' crew rescue vehicle X-38.
Spot 5: Within the framework of the EU project ReVuS, Fraunhofer EMI analysed the protective plate and evaluated its potential improvements. In addition, scientists at EMI performed the impact tests on the structural wall and on the improved protective configurations.
ENVISAT: For the ENVISAT mission, impact damages from the hypervelocity projectile impact on the spacecraft structure walls were investigated at Fraunhofer EMI. Fraunhofer FHR developed methods to determine rotation from maneuverless satellites to support their controlled re-entry into the Earth´s atmosphere.
Meteosat Second Generation MSG: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities. Fraunhofer ISE scientists helped TransnetBW with using the Meteosat data to support a timely and spatially close-meshed measurement system of solar energy generation potential and resulting feed-in of electricity.
ROSETTA: Fraunhofer IZFP developed transducers for the instrument CASSE (Comet Acoustic Surface Sounding Experiment) which was installed on the landing module Philae of the Rosetta Spacecraft in order to examine the elastic and plastic properties of the comet ground and draw conclusions to its composition and strength. Fraunhofer EMI carried out the impact tests on structural walls with MLI (multilayer insulation for thermal control).
UWE: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
SAR-Lupe: At Fraunhofer IOSB methods were developed for the automatic preparation and processing of image data from SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) systems. The focus is on signature analysis, feature extraction and change detection.
MetOp: Hypervelocity impact tests to evaluate the vulnerability of spacecraft components were carried out at Fraunhofer EMI to support the development of cost-effective debris shielding.
Ariane 5: For the propulsion unit of the Ariane 5 rocket, Fraunhofer ICT developed a spraying process to stabilize ammonium nitrate with additives. Fraunhofer EMI performed the hypervelocity impact tests on pressurized helium tanks.
TerraSAR-X / TanDEM-X / PAZ: The Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI. The created SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) images from the group of TerraSAR-X satellites are automatically processed, analysed and evaluated with methods developed at Fraunhofer IOSB. Fraunhofer EMI conducted experiments within the framework of the EU project ReVuS: 1. Analysis of the impact robustness of structures and their potential improvements. 2. Impact tests on structural wall and on improved protective configurations.
COSMO-SkyMed: The SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) image interpretation methods of Fraunhofer IOSB support earth monitoring tasks with automatically analysed imagery from COSMO-SkyMed.
RADARSAT-2: Fraunhofer EMI investigated the military utility of satellites such as RADARSAT-2 and developed the Rapid Sensor Analysis Tool RASCAT, which can also be used for overflight warning. Fraunhofer IOSB uses its own methods to analyse the images generated by the RADARSAT-2 SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite.
US-NFIRE: Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the US-NFIRE satellite. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI.
Don Quijote: The scientists at Fraunhofer EMI investigated the crater formation processes and ejecta cloud dynamics in preliminary tests for asteroid deflection missions.
ATV-1: After the separation of the ATV from the rocket upper stage, these two parts (despite their nearly identical orbits) could be successfully distinguished from each other via the TIRA radar due to the installed chirp filter banks developed at Fraunhofer FHR. Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities. Fraunhofer EMI made impact tests on the protective shield of the European ATV Integrated Cargo Carrier, carried out the Whipple Shield impact tests and contributed to the protective shield design.
ISS Columbus-Modul: The protective shield of the Columbus module was designed and tested at Fraunhofer EMI. Furthermore, the scientists at EMI helped analysing images of impacts on the Columbus shield to derive more information about the population of space debris. They also conducted an outer surface scan of the Columbus module for micrometeoroid and space debris impact features using the SSRMS ("Canadarm2").
RapidEye: At Fraunhofer IOF, the spherical and aspherical metal mirrors of the Three-Mirror-Anastigmat (TMA) telescope system for Earth monitoring of the RapidEye satellites were designed, manufactured, and coated and the TMA mechanical design was performed. The scientists at IOF also mounted and adjusted the TMA telescope system.
GOCE: The Fraunhofer EMI performed hypervelocity impact tests of CFRP/Al structure panels from the GOCE mission.
Herschel-Planck: At Fraunhofer EMI, the impact effects of conductive CFRP dust particles on pre-damaged harnesses were investigated (CFRP = carbon fiber reinforced polymers).
Galileo: Fraunhofer EMI was part of the project PROGRESS (Protection and Resilience of Ground Based Infrastructures for European Space Systems) and managed the development of an Integrated Ground Station Security Monitoring System (IGSSMS) for ground stations of GNSS like the Galileo constellation. At Fraunhofer IIS safe and reliable Galileo PRS receiver technologies were developed for critical infrastructure operators and organizations with security responsibilities. Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components of the Galileo satellites at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
Tiangong: Fraunhofer FHR supported ESA with up-to-date and accurate data on the orbit and rotational behavior of the crashing space station Tiangong during its entering of the Earth's atmosphere.
Spektr-R: Scientists of Fraunhofer EMI developed the space debris detector experiment MDD3 which was flown as a piggy-back payload on Spektr-R.
Phobos-Grunt: With the help of the space observation radar TIRA, Fraunhofer FHR scientists forecasted the re-entry of the failed Phobos-Grunt spacecraft.
ARTES 5: Fraunhofer EMI investigated impact induced electrical discharges on solar generators designed for large communication satellites.
Alphasat: Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the Alphasat satellite. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI.
GAIA: At Fraunhofer EMI's test facilities including two-stage light-gas guns, the structural vibrations of hypervelocity impact on spacecrafts were measured. The results were applied to testing whether the response of the spacecraft structure to impact events could lead to a failure of the GAIA spacecraft. For measuring the redshift of the stars in our galaxy, the GAIA spacecraft contains a spectrometer, which includes a nano-optical grating developed at the Fraunhofer IOF. Besides the RVS grating, the Fraunhofer IOF carried out the flight model manufacture and the CGH tests for the primary telescope mirror.
ATV-4: Scientists of Fraunhofer FHR supported ESA during the ATV-4 mission with their space observation radar TIRA. They distinguished the space transporter and the rocket's upper stage after separation and monitored the correct positioning of ATV-4 during its automated docking to the ISS. The impact tests on the protective shield with and without MLI (multilayer insulation) were performed by Fraunhofer EMI.
PEPSI: The Fraunhofer IOF developed and assembled the waveguide image-slicer for the Potsdam Echell Polarimetric and Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI) of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT).
Sentinel-1: Fraunhofer IOSB did research on strategies for the integration of Sentinel-1 data in permanently operating monitoring systems with the help of the persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) technique. Fraunhofer IST produced antennas for the Sentinel satellites by metallizing CFRP waveguides with copper for the first time in such complex dimensions and geometries. Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the Sentinel satellites. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI. Fraunhofer EMI analysed the particle impact risks of Sentinel-1 using PIRAT (Particle Impact Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Tool) and proposed measures to minimize the risk of component failures from impacts.
Hayabusa 2/MASCOT: At Fraunhofer IST the CFRP base plates of the antennas of Hayabusa 2 and its lander MASCOT were metallized with copper. The IST scientists also coated the plunger of the separation mechanism for the lander.
Sentinel-2: For the multispectral imager (MSI) in the optical camera of the Sentinel-2B satellite, the scientists of Fraunhofer IOF developed optical filters necessary to separate the different infrared wavelengths. Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the Sentinel satellites. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI.
Kent Ridge 1: Fraunhofer EMI provided the software for the data processing unit of all three camera payloads of Kent Ridge 1.
Lisa Pathfinder: For gravitational waves experiments, the satellite carried two identical gold-platinum alloy cubes, which gravitational homogeneity was tested with high-frequency ultrasound examinations at Fraunhofer IZFP. The Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components of the satellite at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
ATV-5: Scientists at Fraunhofer IOF developed a new generation of a rendezvous and docking sensor, a 3D lidar, for docking the European space transporter ATV-5 with the name "George Lemaître" to the International Space Station ISS with millimeter precision.
EDRS-A: Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the EDRS-A satellite. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI.
SCDisrupt: Fraunhofer EMI built the in-house numerical simulation hydrocode PHILOS-SOPHIA and investigated the generation of fragmentation clouds on satellite collisions. Criteria for the onset of catastrophic failure in collisions were defined.
DESIS (ISS-MUSES): Scientists of Fraunhofer IOF designed, manufactured and assembled the whole optical system of DESIS, which is installed on the MUSES platform of the ISS and includes a Three-Mirror-Anastigmat telescope, a spectrometer and a reflection grating. Fraunhofer IOF has many years of expertise in the production of high-precision metal mirror systems, including design, mirror production, coating to assembly and system optimization.
BepiColombo: The thermal management of the BepiColombo spacecraft was optimized using the prototype software SMARTA (a Swift and Modular Approach to Radiative Transfer Assessment) developed at Fraunhofer EMI. Additionally, the spacecraft contains titanium cooling fins which where coated with copper in a process developed at the Fraunhofer IST and then galvanic silver plated for protecting the spacecraft from high temperatures. BepiColombo contains a thermal infrared spectrometer called MERTIS (Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer) to characterize the minerals and elements on Mercury’s surface, for which the Fraunhofer IOF designed, manufactured and assembled reflective infrared optics like gold-coated spherical and aspherical metal mirrors and a spherical grating. The mirror assembly carried out at the Fraunhofer IOF meets the highest requirements with respect to shape accuracy and roughness of the mirror surfaces and is optimized regarding minimal deformation caused by dynamic and thermal loads as well as gravity. The Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
EU:CROPIS: The research satellite EU:CROPIS contains an ion analyzer developed by Fraunhofer IMM. This analyzer automatically monitors all actions in the circulatory system in which fertilizers for astronaut food are produced. Fraunhofer EMI performed a complete impact risk assessment for EU:CROPIS. In addition, impact tests on CFRP plates behind aluminum structural walls were made.
GRACE FOLLOW-ON: Fraunhofer IOF developed a CO2 laser spliced Fiber Collimator for the inter-satellite Laser Interferometer onboard Grace-FO.
AEOLUS: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
Capella X-SAR: For the new generation of micro SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites, Fraunhofer IOSB's investigations are focused on signature analysis and feature extraction.
ICEYE: Fraunhofer IOSB's activities on data from these latest micro SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites focus on signature analysis and feature extraction.
EDRS-C: Fraunhofer ILT developed laser pump modules for the Tesat-Spacecom Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) installed on the EDRS-C satellite. Additionally, this LCT contains beam tracking sensors and photodetectors for data transmission developed at Fraunhofer HHI.
NASA MARS ROVER 2020: Bandpass filters for sensors of the Mars Rover were coated at Fraunhofer IST.
SOLAR ORBITER: Scientists of Fraunhofer ILT manufactured a supporting tube for the spectrometer STIX onboard the Solar Orbiter. The supporting tube endures high mechanical and especially thermal load.
ARTES / W-Cube: Fraunhofer IAF developed the high-frequency front ends for the ground station and the satellite for the communication in so far unused frequencies in the Q and W band.
James Webb: The optics specialists of Fraunhofer IOF manufactured and coated the high-precision metal mirrors for the Mid InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) of the space telescope and produced the Radiometric Calibration Spectral Source (RCSS) for the calibration of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the ground.
EnMAP: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities. The eleven plane, spherical and aspherical high-precision metal mirrors with protected silver and sputtered gold (VIS-NIR-IR) of the Three Mirror Anastigmat telescope and spectrometer of the Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program were developed, manufactured and coated at Fraunhofer IOF - covering the mirror design to the characterization with optical and tactile measurement methods. For positioning the openings of the two spectrometers onboard, a slit module including an ultra-precise double slit chip was designed and produced at Fraunhofer IMM.
SARah: Fraunhofer IOSB plans to develop automated signature analysis, feature extraction and change detection methods for these latest SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) systems.
Meteosat Third Generation MTG: For the MTG satellites, Fraunhofer IOF manufactured the reference bodies for the on-board calibration of the infrared optics with an ultra precision machining process.
TROPICS Cubesat: The low-noise amplifier circuits of the TROPICS satellites were developed at Fraunhofer IAF and support the monitoring of hurricanes and typhoons.
LisR: LisR is an earth observation payload developed, built and qualified at Fraunhofer EMI as spin-off project for its start-up Constellr. It was mounted on the ISS from february till august 2022 and monitored Earth's land surface temperature with a cryocooled infrared camera. Fraunhofer IOF and its startup SpaceOptix contributed the instrument optics.
JUICE: At Fraunhofer IOF, scientists developed a reflector telescope for the laser receiving unit of the Ganymed Laser Altimeter (GALA) instrument which was installed on the JUICE satellite to explore the icy moons of Jupiter like Ganymed. Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities. For one payload, the radiation effects studied at Fraunhofer INT played a crucial role in the realisation and optimisation for the final mission. Scientists of Fraunhofer ISE were part of experiments during which the performance of integrated solar cells at LILT (low intensity low temperature) conditions was tested for the JUICE mission.
ERNST: The nanosatellite ERNST was developed at Fraunhofer EMI and contains a cryogen-cooled infrared detector, a camera for earth observation in the visible range and a radiation detector developed at Fraunhofer INT. Fraunhofer IOSB was involved in the design and layout of the infrared detector to optimize it for the detection of rocket launches.
EUCLID: Scientists of Fraunhofer IST supported the development of a beam splitter, which is able to show wavefront errors and separates the channels of the imaging systems for the visible and the near-infrared spectral range. Fraunhofer IOF developed a concept for the adjustment of the camera system and manufactured the mirror as well as the reference and mounting surfaces of the baseplate using single point diamond turning; the system mets the tolerances for the lenses in the micrometer range and corrects the thermal displacement during cooling in space according to a prediction. Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
HEINRICH-HERTZ: The Fraunhofer On-Board-Processor (FOBP) was developed at Fraunhofer IIS and functions as a laboratory in space for new satellite communication systems on the Heinrich-Hertz satellite. The box of the FOBP contains a radiation sensor developed at Fraunhofer INT for an adaptive protection depending on radiation levels. Fraunhofer INT also performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
SENTINEL-4: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities. The dielectric reflection gratings of the satellite's spectrometer, the grating design study and demonstrator fabrication for the UV/VIS- and NIR-spectrometer channel are developed at Fraunhofer IOF.
BIOMASS: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
ARCTIC WEATHER SATELLITE: At Fraunhofer IAF, Scientists designed highly sensitive low noise amplifiers which are part of the receiver instruments of microwave radiometers onboard the Arctic Weather Satellite.
EUROPA CLIPPER: Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
METOP SG: At Fraunhofer IST, the necessary coating processes for microwave reflectors made of CFRP (which are part of METOP's radiometer for measuring microwave earth radiation) were developed and applied. Fraunhofer IAF designed low noise monolithic amplifiers which are part of the receiver instruments of the new METOP earth observation satellites.
PHOOTPRINT: Fraunhofer EMI examinated the transfer of Mars rocks to Phobos through large meteoroid impacts on Mars. In addition, the scientists at EMI accelerated a basalt projectile and analysed the impact on quartz and basalt powder.
SENTINEL-5: Fraunhofer IOF designed and realized custom-made transmission gratings for the NIR spectrometer and developed the Rectangular Optics Mount (ROM) for the Sentinel-5 mission.
MMX Martian Moon Exploration: The JAXA/DLR mission MMX will observe the martian moon Phobos and return samples back to earth. Fraunhofer IST coated the push off mechanism to separate the rover from the satellite.
CarbonSat: Fraunhofer IOF designed and manufactured a bonded prism grating that can be used for all spectral bands of the CarbonSat satellite.
FLEX / FIMAS: Scientists of Fraunhofer IOF were involved in the development of a double slit device, which is part of a high precision slit assembly for the optical instrument of the FLEX satellite.
CO2M / Sentinel-7: Fraunhofer IOF realizes the optical components for the different flight models of the PG+P assemblies for the NIR, SWIR1 and SWIR2 Channels of the CO2M instrument.
LOFT: With their hydrocode PHILOS-SOPHIA, the Fraunhofer EMI scientists developed a tool for the ESA, which allows to create precise collision scenarios of satellite collisions. This was already demonstrated for a model of the LOFT-satellite, which brought new insights into possible crash consequences.
MERLIN: At Fraunhofer ILT, scientists developed the laser optical bench, which is the core part of the laser beam source for the MERLIN LiDAR instrument. The laser emits pulses with specific properties that enable the measurement of the methane concentration of the atmosphere. Currently, the integration of the flight hardware is taking place at ILT. To support the instrument's precision, the Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of an optical fibre, which is integrated in the instrument and helps screening the wavelenghts and pulse energies of MERLIN's LiDAR system.
FORUM: Fraunhofer IOF is involved in the optics development for the Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission.
EXOMARS ROVER: A team of Fraunhofer IPA scientists has designed and set up a clean room where the mars rover for the second part of the Exomars mission was sterilized in a prozess developed at Fraunhofer IPA. The mars rover contains a Raman spectrometer the size of a 50-cent piece to analyze the diffusion of light from molecules. The centerpiece of the spectrometer’s heavily miniaturized and space-worthy laser source is a diode-pumped solid-state laser with frequency doubling, constructed at Fraunhofer IOF. Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities.
AEOLUS follow-on: Within the projects ESA AFO and ESA ALTA, Fraunhofer ILT scientists are developing a next generation laser beam source in cooperation with Airbus Defense and Space based on the concept that has been developed for the MERLIN transmitter. The transmitter is designed to provide full output energy (150 mJ UV) over a lifetime of more than 6-7 years at very high efficiency.
ATHENA: Fraunhofer IWS manufactured an optical bench as one of the three main parts of the ATHENA telescope with an innovative additive hybrid technology. Fraunhofer IWU developed the cyber-physical production method to manufacture the optical bench for the ATHENA Space Telescope. In 2022, TRL 5 was successfully mastered and the transfer to TRL 9 is the next step.
LISA: Within the project MIRAD (Micro-particle Impact Related Attitude Disturbances), Fraunhofer EMI scientists developed a measuring technology for the characterisation of fragments that can be ejected against the direction of impact of micrometeorites. That allows to mitigate the impacts of space debris, which is essential for the LISA mission because the satellites should not affect their contained test masses. Fraunhofer INT performed radiation testing of electronics and optical components at their Co-60 Gamma Irradiation facilities. Scientists of Fraunhofer ILT were part of the development team of a fiber amplifier for the laser instrument of LISAs satellites.
Fraunhofer ISE is involved in many preliminary developments for future space solar cells (such as III-V Multi-Junction Solar Cells, Ultra High Efficiency Radiation Hard Space Solar Cells), but this cannot be directly assigned to single missions.
Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE
