Application Insights

One key element for measuring the spectra at the required high accuracy is the Fourier Transform Spectrometer, in which moving mirrors lead to interference effects of the probing IR-radiation. This mirror movement needs to be both performed and monitored extremely accurately, so that the interferometer signal is recorded at the target mirror positions: the deviation must not exceed a few nm. To achieve this high accuracy, the 760 nm laser from EAGLEYARD comes to play. When operating at precise conditions, it emits a highly stable and narrowband wavelength, which is used to interferometrically measure the mirror positions. Since start of operation onboard the ISS, no failures or unexpected behaviors were detected, and the Laser has proven to operate very reliable. Thanks to this, the initially intended mission duration of the instrument of one year was continuously extended such that today (2026), the instrument is still operating and expected to operate for several more years. A second ANITA instrument was recently contracted to be built, to ensure continuous atmospheric monitoring on-board the ISS. Also, an ANITA instrument is one of the most likely candidates of cabin air monitoring systems for further space exploration missions, e.g. around or on the Moon. Due to the good experiences onboard the ISS, for these instruments again EAGLEYARD Lasers are foreseen, contributing to a healthy environment at these far outposts of humanity.”