Teledyne Space Imaging has been awarded the role of prime contractor for the Constellation Acquisition Sensor instrument, contributing to the European Space Agency’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.
The UK imaging sensor manufacturer is using its capabilities in detector technology and prowess in proximity electronics to deliver six CIS220 detectors and the control electronics for the international space observation project. Teledyne will do this in partnership with Thales Alenia Space in Switzerland, who will be responsible for the optical head.
Teledyne Space Imaging specialises in engineered and complex space solutions, manufacturing advanced electronics, imaging and sensor systems for operation in the growing global space economy.
LISA is a mission led by ESA, in partnership with their member states and NASA. LISA will be the first space-based observatory that is dedicated to studying gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of space-time.
The LISA mission will be the first of its kind to probe the entire history of the universe via gravitational waves and is the result of global co-operation between several leading space agencies, companies and organisations.
Specifically, the LISA CAS instrument will help establish the interferometric laser links between spacecrafts positioned at the vertices of a triangular constellation and transform them into a single gravitational wave observatory.
This will enable the mission to study the formation of compact binary stars and the structure of the Milky Way galaxy, as well as trace the origins and merger history of black holes and probe the rate of expansion of the universe.
“LISA is an endeavour that has never been tried yet,” said ESA Project Manager Filippo Marliani. “This ESA led mission, made in partnership with our Member States and NASA, will be a breakthrough in astrophysics and space exploration. Teledyne Space Imaging, and its partner Thales Alenia Space in Switzerland, will contribute to make it possible with the challenging work on the CAS instrument.”
“We are very excited to be Prime Contractor for the CAS instrument on such an exciting space observatory mission as LISA,” said Teledyne GM Daniel Waller. “Our image sensor technology sits at the cutting edge of what could be a total game changer for the space observation sector.”
“Teledyne has a strong heritage in providing cutting edge sensors and electronics for major space science missions,” said UK Space Agency Head of Space Science Caroline Harper. “This contract to deliver a crucial element of the mission hardware marks another milestone for Teledyne in the UK and showcases the importance of global collaboration between space agencies and companies to advance our collective knowledge.”
