Engineering
Qualifying Diode Lasers for Space
While requirements vary, testing programs for devices on ESA and NASA missions focus on standardized tests.
The International Space Station (ISS) hosted a cloud-aerosol mapping mission that included space-qualified laser diodes from eagleyard Photonics. [NASA]
A technical device for a space mission must be small, energy-efficient and very reliable. If a mission requires a laser, then laser diodes, with a small footprint and high efficiency, could well provide an answer. But first, their reliability for space use needs to be proved.
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