With the increasing demand on compact space instruments, using multispectral filters instead of complex spectrometer setups, the butcher-block filter technology is pushed to larger number of channels, more extreme length to width ratios of the individual filter bars. The resulting requirements on center wavelength and bandwidth and their tolerances are more and more demanding and require not only improved production technology but also a dedicated spectral characterization setup to verify the performance of the individual filter channels within such a butcher block filter assembly. The setup presented here operates in the spectral regime between 800nm and 2,5μm. Due to the geometry of the individual filter channels of a butcher block filter, the setup is designed for a measurement spot size down to 50μm and can operate at F-Numbers between 2,5 and 4. An absolute spectral resolution of 0,2nm is demonstrated, with a relative resolution of 0,1nm for homogeneity measurements along the individual filter stripes. The out of band blocking can be characterized better than OD3 over the full spectral range. A precision x/y position stage allows to position the small metrology spot (50μm) on individual filter channels and to scan along these channels to map their performance. This metrology setup allows to verify the final performance of multispectral filters assemblies, especially butcher block filters.
In the confined, enclosed environment of a spacecraft, the air quality must be monitored continuously in order to
safeguard the crew's health. For this reason, OHB builds the ANITA2 (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air)
technology demonstrator for trace gas monitoring onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The measurement
principle of ANITA2 is based on the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology with dedicated gas analysis software
from the Norwegian partner SINTEF. This combination proved to provide high sensitivity, accuracy and precision for
parallel measurements of 33 trace gases simultaneously onboard ISS by the precursor instrument ANITA1.
The paper gives a technical overview about the opto-mechanical components of ANITA2, such as the interferometer, the
reference Laser, the infrared source and the gas cell design and a quick overview about the gas analysis.
ANITA2 is very well suited for measuring gas concentrations specifically but not limited to usage onboard spacecraft, as
no consumables are required and measurements are performed autonomously.
ANITA2 is a programme under the contract of the European Space Agency, and the air quality monitoring system is a
stepping stone into the future, as a precursor system for manned exploration missions.
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