A Space-Qualified Fabry-Perot Filter Michigan Aerospace Corporation Ann Arbor, MI

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A Space-Qualified Fabry-Perot FilterMichigan
Aerospace CorporationAnn Arbor, MI
Small Business Innovation Research

• INNOVATION
• Manufactured spaceflight qualified tunable
  Fabry-Perot etalons for Doppler wind measurement,
  as well as for solar and other remote sensing
  space applications

• ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Developed mounting techniques for positioning the
  components of a Fabry-Perot etalon to allow them
  to survive the launch vehicle environment.
• Optimized the design of the etalon mounting
  scheme using extensive iterations of solid
  modeling finite element analysis software, in
  order to minimize its thermal expansion
  coefficient as well as the distortion experienced
  as a result of temperature changes.
• COMMERCIALIZATION
• Recent procurement by NASA Langley for a flight
  qualified tunable Fabry-Perot etalon for a price
  of 127,000.
• Expected solicitation for a data buy for
  tropospheric winds is estimated to be worth as
  much as 12 million.
• MAC has secured patents on the technologies
  incorporated in these instruments, in particular,
  the CLIO optic and the concept of light recycling
  using optical fibers. Also filed for patent on
  the piezoelectric actuator that gives these
  instruments their robustness for aircraft and
  spacecraft deployment.

A Space-Qualified Fabry-Perot Filter

• GOVERNMENT/SCIENCE APPLICATIONS
• MAC has proposed several instruments to various
  government agencies that may utilize the
  technology.
• Leveraged results of Phase I to generate revenue
  in the form of a commercial procurement of a
  spaceflight qualified Fabry-Perot etalon for the
  upcoming NASA ESSP3/CENA mission.

Points of Contact NASA Matthew McGill
301-614-6281 Michigan Aerospace Carl Nardell
734-975-8777, ext. 104
Goddard Space Flight Center
2000 Phase I, SS5-059