Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 2070 |
Journal | Sensors |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 5 |
Publication status | Published - 7 Mar 2022 |
Abstract
The laser ranging interferometer onboard the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On mission proved the feasibility of an interferometric sensor for inter-satellite length tracking with sub-nanometer precision, establishing an important milestone for space laser interferometry and the general expectation that future gravity missions will employ heterodyne laser interferometry for satellite-to-satellite ranging. In this paper, we present the design of an on-axis optical bench for next-generation laser ranging which enhances the received optical power and the transmit beam divergence, enabling longer interferometer arms and relaxing the optical power requirement of the laser assembly. All design functionalities and requirements are verified by means of computer simulations. A thermal analysis is carried out to investigate the robustness of the proposed optical bench to the temperature fluctuations found in orbit.
Keywords
- GRACE, Heterodyne readout, Inter-satellite ranging, Laser interferometry
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Analytical Chemistry
- Computer Science(all)
- Information Systems
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Biochemistry
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Instrumentation
- Engineering(all)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
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In: Sensors, Vol. 22, No. 5, 2070, 07.03.2022.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - On-Axis Optical Bench for Laser Ranging Instruments in Future Gravity Missions
AU - Yang, Yichao
AU - Yamamoto, Kohei
AU - Dovale Álvarez, Miguel
AU - Wei, Daikang
AU - Esteban Delgado, Juan José
AU - Jia, Jianjun
AU - Heinzel, Gerhard
AU - Müller, Vitali
N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This work has been supported by: the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Max Planck Society (MPG) in the framework of the LEGACY cooperation on low-frequency gravitational-wave astronomy (M.IF.A.QOP18098); The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation, Project-ID 434617780, SFB 1464). Clusters of Excellence “QuantumFrontiers: Light and Matter at the Quantum Frontier: Foundations and Applications in Metrology” (EXC-2123, project number: 390837967); PhoenixD: “Photonics, Optics, and Engineering—Innovation Across Disciplines” (EXC-2122, project number: 390833453).
PY - 2022/3/7
Y1 - 2022/3/7
N2 - The laser ranging interferometer onboard the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On mission proved the feasibility of an interferometric sensor for inter-satellite length tracking with sub-nanometer precision, establishing an important milestone for space laser interferometry and the general expectation that future gravity missions will employ heterodyne laser interferometry for satellite-to-satellite ranging. In this paper, we present the design of an on-axis optical bench for next-generation laser ranging which enhances the received optical power and the transmit beam divergence, enabling longer interferometer arms and relaxing the optical power requirement of the laser assembly. All design functionalities and requirements are verified by means of computer simulations. A thermal analysis is carried out to investigate the robustness of the proposed optical bench to the temperature fluctuations found in orbit.
AB - The laser ranging interferometer onboard the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On mission proved the feasibility of an interferometric sensor for inter-satellite length tracking with sub-nanometer precision, establishing an important milestone for space laser interferometry and the general expectation that future gravity missions will employ heterodyne laser interferometry for satellite-to-satellite ranging. In this paper, we present the design of an on-axis optical bench for next-generation laser ranging which enhances the received optical power and the transmit beam divergence, enabling longer interferometer arms and relaxing the optical power requirement of the laser assembly. All design functionalities and requirements are verified by means of computer simulations. A thermal analysis is carried out to investigate the robustness of the proposed optical bench to the temperature fluctuations found in orbit.
KW - GRACE
KW - Heterodyne readout
KW - Inter-satellite ranging
KW - Laser interferometry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125955480&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/s22052070
DO - 10.3390/s22052070
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85125955480
VL - 22
JO - Sensors
JF - Sensors
SN - 1424-8220
IS - 5
M1 - 2070
ER -