• Project Examples
• Research & Development
• Space Science & Astronomy Instruments
• Space Technology & Mechanisms

DESTINATION MARS

ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars) is a European-led robotic mission to Mars under development by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. We have provided a variety of novel technologies for this mission including applications on the Life Marker Chip instrument. This is a very important next-generation instrument for the detection of signs of life. It will probably be the only instrument on the mission that is capable of directly identifying molecules of unmistakably biological origin

KEYWORDS

• Design for operations & survival in hostile environments Atmosphere: Martian 0.6mbar CO2 - Radiation: High Cosmic Ray and induced neutron levels - Temperature range: -100°C (surface, night) to +45°C (cruise) - Shock: 2500g - Vibration: 33g (launch & separation) - Cleanliness: less than 1ng/cm2 molecular films and particulates, sterilisable (for planetary protection)
• Ultrasonics
• Complex mechanisms
• Fluidic control systems
• Soil sample processing
• Systems engineering
• Project management

DESTINATION MERCURY

BepiColombo is a joint Cornerstone mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) mounted jointly with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury. One of the several products we are providing for the mission are the optics structure for the Imaging X-ray Spectrometer which is a remote sensing instrument on the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) spacecraft.

KEYWORDS

• Design for hostile environments: Radiation: High UV photon, proton and energetic electron levels – solar flux 14kW/m2 – planetary IR albedo 700W/m2 - Temperature range: -40°C (cruise, eclipse) to +200°C (at Mercury) - Shock: 2500g - Vibration: 40g - Cleanliness: less than 1ng/cm2 molecular films and particulates
• Lightweight X-ray optics
• High stability structures
• Coupled analysis (Structural, Thermal , Optical)
• Systems engineering
• Project management