Tech Briefs Magazine - January 2024 - PIT-4

Designing Optics
Photonics & Imaging Technology recently
caught up with Rob Watkinson, the head
of purchasing and customer support for
Resolve Optics, to discuss how they overcome
the challenges of developing optics
for lunar rovers, satellites and other
spaceborne applications. Check out our
Q&A with Watkinson about overcoming
the challenges of designing radiation resistant
optics and lenses below.
Photonics & Imaging Technology: Can you
provide some background information on
what type of optical systems, components
or technologies Resolve Optics has primarily
been designing and manufacturing for
use or operation on satellites?
Rob Watkinson: Our customers include
international space agencies and a growing
number of commercial satellite and
space vehicle manufacturers. Over the
years we have supplied space ready optics
for monitoring the outside of spacecraft
looking for signs of damage caused by
space debris or micro meteorites. For inspection
tasks, where the optical system is
required to view a specific area to aid operation.
As part of a vision systems used to
guide and dock payload craft visiting platforms
such as used on the International
Space Station. And, to enhance remote
sensing from satellites. In this application
our powerful, high-resolution lenses enable
the Earth to be viewed from space
providing valuable data on weather patterns
and the impact of climate change.
P&IT: Are there any new or in-service
satellites that Resolve Optics has developed
optical components for? What new
or unique applications are those components
or systems currently providing or
enabling and for what type of end users?
Watkinson: One project we can talk
about is our cooperation with video
streaming specialists, including one Didcot,
U.K.-based company, Sen, to supply
radiation hard lenses for their satellite-based
Ultra-High Definition (UHD)
video cameras. To make technology work
in space is not straight forward, with both
mechanical and environmental challenges,
such as extreme temperature changes
and radiation that can damage electronics
and hardware. Space is also very mass
sensitive because each gram costs money
to launch. As a consequence, Sen decided
they needed a specialist provider who
could custom design and manufacture
cameras to meet both the unique constraints
of spaceflight hardware and the
environmental challenges of operating
in space for several years.
Commercially available camera lenses
were not suitable for this application
because the glass would increasingly suffer
from radiation 'browning' - meaning
that image quality would gradually
deteriorate over the life of the satellite.
Sen chose Resolve Optics to assist with
this project because of its expertise in
custom designing low mass, high performance
lenses using radiation resistant
glass that could meet the harsh demands
of the space environment. Sen launched
its first set of UHD video cameras incorporating
Resolve Optics lenses into
space in 2019 and successfully demonstrated
the excellent performance of its
video streaming platform. The next step
in Sen's plan is to launch its own satellite
constellation so that it has full control
over its live data stream.
P&IT: What are some of the key materials
that you have found to help enable
radiation resistance?
Watkinson: When designing a lens or
optical system for use in a spaceborne
application a key concern when it comes
to radiation resistance is the type of optical
glass you use. Standard glass will turn
brown when exposed to radiation. So as
previously mentioned, when radiation
resistance is required, we will typically go
for cerium doped non-browning glasses.
These glasses will resist the browning effect
for significantly longer than standard
glass. This means our radiation resistant
lenses have operating lifetimes of
years even by subject the constant stream
of cosmic radiation encountered in
space. By comparison, a lens constructed
from standard glasses would turn grey
and lose all transmission in a matter of
just a few weeks.
P&IT: Is the company researching the
use of any new materials or glass types that
A computer generated concept image of Intuitive Machines Noca-C lander for the IM-3 mission taking four NASA investigations to Reiner Gamma. Due
for delivery and launch in 2024, Resolve Optics received an order to supply an optimized wide waveband lens for a multi-spectral microscope required
for a Moon exploration mission. (Image: Intuitive Machines)
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Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

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