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Space application of FBG sensors

FBG sensors for space applicationFiber Bragg grating sensors are highly useful fiber optic sensing devices that help carry out the monitoring of temperature and strain characteristics even during a nanosatellite mission. FBG sensors present highly attractive reliable fiber optic solutions for process monitoring in a spacecraft. Additionally, it is possible to install these fiber sensors in composite structures or attached on their surface for structural health monitoring during the entire life cycle of a satellite.

To be more precise, space application of fiber optic sensors requires the use of two fiber Bragg gratings to measure temperature and strain characteristics during one space mission. The main aim of the mission is the validation and demonstration of the suitability and reliability of fiber optic technologies when it comes to a small area with numerous restrictions in terms of mass and power consumption.

Despite the fact that FBG sensors offer great performance in various fields of application, especially in industry, engineering and science, however, the use of fiber sensors in space application is not so popular, although fiber optics are presented more than 30 years in space but typically applied to transmit data or to guide the light for illumination purposes.

Fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg grating technology have numerous benefits such as electromagnetic immunity, the possibility of multiplexing, and weight-saving by taking copper harness away. This is the reason why fiber sensing technology is perfect for the harsh space environment.

Also, FBG sensors are better than other optical fiber sensors because their optical response does not depend on the optical power of the light source the eventual loss of energy transmitted along with the optical fiber, and of the response of the photodetector, thus, the response of the fiber sensor is considered to be wavelength-coded.

The used FBG technology has been successfully tested and the tests presented the capability and reliability of fiber optic sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings in space environmental conditions. In spite of the high restrictions in terms of mass, volume, and power consumption, FBG sensors offer an optimal performance of all-optical fiber components after their 3 years’ application in the space environment.

Finally, during the whole space mission crucial attenuation proving the degradation of fiber optic components because of harsh environmental conditions (as well as radiation and vacuum conditions) has not been registered. Herewith, the used tunable laser system for telecommunications purposes also presented excellent results in the space environment. It is possible that these FBG sensors contribute to the creation of more complex sensor arrays with a more complex FBG interrogator unit that will enable better resolution and operation in a wider temperature range.

If you want to obtain a highly efficient sensing system, you should choose the Optromix company. Optromix is a manufacturer of innovative fiber optic products for the global market. The company provides the most technologically advanced fiber-optic solutions for monitoring worldwide. Optromix is a fast-growing vendor of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) products line such as fiber Bragg grating sensors, FBG interrogators and multiplexers, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems, distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems. If you are interested in FBG sensors and want to learn more, please contact us at info@optromix.com