Critical element for Proba-3 mission delivered to Switzerland

AMOS recently completed the Optical Head Unit of the Fine Lateral and Longitudinal Sensor (FLLS) for the Proba-3 mission. This critical system measures the respective lateral and longitudinal displacement of the mission’s two spacecrafts with sub-millimeter precision.

The main purpose of Proba-3 is to demonstrate Precise Formation Flying in space, a first for an ESA mission. Critical for this demonstration is the FLLS system that ensures the two spacecrafts stay aligned and in formation. While this could serve as a pathfinder for the LISA space-based gravitational wave detector project, it will be used more immediately for making a coronograph dedicated to the observation of the sun.

The Optical Head Unit has now been delivered to Switzerland where it will undergo themal testing. It will then travel to England for calibration testing before being integrated into the spacecraft during spring of 2023.

AMOS contribution was key for this mission. It was AMOS expertise in designing and manufacturing complex opto-mechanical systems that drove the involvement of AMOS in this project. Amongst the constrains were the very tight volume available for the optical function and the need to use innovative aluminum alloys in order to preserve the optical precisions despite a challenging environment.

AMOS demonstrated again its capability to overcome technical difficulties and challenges in order to deliver an optical unit meeting the mission objectives.

Well done team !

For more information on the mission: https://www.amos.be/2310