Space Science Imaging
Telescopes and Observatories
Poster available for download below
Space science is core to developing our understanding of the origins, and the future, of the Universe, together with the effects of solar activity on the Earth, including for example, the effects solar flares have on our communications systems.
A vital component to this science is the ability to capture detailed images across the visible, UV and NIR spectrum and spectroscopic data. During 30 years involvement with the highest profile space science projects, the detailed scientific information and images obtained with Teledyne e2v’s CCD and CMOS sensors are helping us understand more about the Universe.
Missions include the upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope, which uses Teledyne e2v imaging sensors to look further into the Universe than ever before, and the detection of new extra-solar planets with NASA’s Kepler mission. In addition, Teledyne e2v sensors on board spectroscopic instruments in the Mars Reconnaissance Rover have detected key elements necessary to support life on Mars. Also, over the coming 5 years, ESA’s GAIA mission will map over 1 billion objects in the Milky Way using 106 Teledyne e2v imaging sensors to equip its focal plane, the largest ever to be flown in space.
Ground Astronomy
By combining Teledyne e2v, Teledyne Imaging Sensors, and Teledyne DALSA, Teledyne Imaging can demonstrate a proud history as the leading supplier of sensors for Space Science, Ground-based Astronomy, and Earth Observation applications with an impressive record of successful deliveries to a wide range of customers over 40 years. Most of Teledyne Imaging ground-based astronomy sensors are capable of qualification for space use.
Teledyne Imaging devices can be supplied partially or fully customized to fit the application and achieve the best possible system performance. Sensor design, manufacture, assembly and test are carried out in-house. Sensors are back-illuminated for highest sensitivity, designed with very low noise, and available in multiple formats and package types. Teledyne Imaging has capabilities and vast experience in designing and delivering integrated camera systems, mosaics, and focal planes.
Teledyne Imaging manufactures sensors for mosaic imaging cameras, spectroscopy, auto-guiding, acquisition, and adaptive optics. Our Charge Coupled Detectors (CCDs) have extensive heritage and a wide variety of formats and customized features. Our CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) offer similar performance to CCDs but can offer higher frame rates and integrated digital functions, including digital data output. Our cooled MgCdTe focal plane arrays with CMOS readout ICs reveal the sky's secrets in the infrared.
Teledyne Imaging offers a very wide range of astronomy sensors. The table below highlights popular astronomy sensors.
For more information on our ground astronomy products, missions, and heritage, contact us.
Space Telescopes and Space Observatories
Teledyne Imaging CCDs and infrared MCT FPAs are found in almost every space borne telescope for outer space astronomy missions. The instruments that use our imaging technology played a key role in capturing data and images that have found billions of hidden planets and revealed according to NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope mission that there is more planets than stars.
A vital component to this science is the ability to capture detailed images and spectroscopic data across the X-ray, visible, UV, NIR and infrared (IR) spectrum. During 30 years involvement with the highest profile space science projects, the detailed scientific information and images obtained with Teledyne Imaging’s CCD and CMOS sensors and IR FPAs are helping us understand more about the Universe. Key enabling device characteristics that unlock the performance needed for these missions include low noise, very low dark current, deep depleted MCT, large pixel sizes, backside illumination and backthinned detector substrates.
Key advantages from Teledyne Imaging
Whilst CMOS Imaging Sensors (CIS) capabilities are expanding for space borne applications, there are a range of technologies and techniques that are applicable to support the space science missions of the future, which includes custom sensor design in any wavelength. Teledyne Imaging is able to provide the highest performance, optimised and custom package solutions and assemblies.
- Space proven large format CCD arrays
- Highest performance large format Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) or HgCdTe FPAs
- Custom and standard CMOS Image Sensors (CIS)
- Flight proven star trackers
- Space qualified
- Radiation tolerant
- In-house Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) grown MCT
- State of the art CCD fabrication facility
- In-house backthinning process
Heritage
Previous missions include:
- SVOM-VT
- Change 5, J-PAS (Guider)
- New Horizons
- CHEOPS
- Solar Dynamics Observatory
- EXOMARS-Ramen
- VLT
- LSST
- PLATO, SMILE
- ARKA
- JPAS
- SIM
- Rosetta OSIRIS
- SVOM-VT
- Hubble – Visible CCD, IR MCT FPA
- GAIA – Visible CCD
- Kepler – Visible CCD
Space Astronomy & Space Science Products
HAWAII-4RG
Resolution: 4096 × 4096 Pixel size: 15 µm HgCdTe FPA with state-of-the-art readout integrated circuit for visible and infrared instrumentation in ground-based and space telescope applications
HAWAII-2RG
Resolution: 2048 × 2048 Pixel size: 18 µm HgCdTe FPA with state-of-the-art readout integrated circuit for visible and infrared instrumentation in ground-based and space telescope applications
Capella
Resolution: 2048 × 2048 Pixel size: 10 µm Capella are large area UV-NIR, radiation tolerant, CMOS image sensors designed for space applications.
CCD55-30
Resolution: 1252 × 1152 Pixel size: 22.5 µm Full-frame imaging device with two image area sections that can be clocked separately
CCD201-20
Resolution: 1024 × 1024 Pixel size: 13 µm Extreme performance in high frame rate ultra-low light applications
CCD47-20
Resolution: 1024 × 1024 Pixel size: 13 µm Back illumination technology and extremely low noise amplifiers
CCD220
Resolution: 240 × 240 Pixel size: 24 µm Designed for very high frame rate and low signal applications
CCD250-82
Resolution: 4096 × 4004 Pixel size: 10 µm Back illumination and an extremely low noise amplifier
CCD275-42
Resolution: 1022 × 2050 Pixel size: 26 µm High readout rates and high signal capacity