Space, ground based astronomy & Earth observation imaging

e2v is a world leading supplier of high sensitivity imaging sensors to the global space sector. Whether equipping ground based telescopes, as star trackers, or as critical sensing components on space based satellites and demanding instruments, e2v’s imaging sensors are crucial to capturing detailed images and enabling new scientific discoveries.

Custom sensor designs, packaging and focal plane integration from e2v are recognised for their technical excellence by the world’s major space agencies, including NASA, ESA, JAXA and CSA; and the world’s major industrial primes.

The technology underpinning the performance of our image sensors in aerospace has been developed over 30 years of involvement with the highest profile imaging projects. We have a wide range of well characterised standard products which can often be used for special projects without modification. Specific areas of technological expertise, which make our devices well suited to space and astronomy use, include:

• Very capable and widely used custom design capability with deep physics base and very high success rate for first iteration design
• Extensive experience in package design and manufacture to meet optical, mechanical and thermal requirements for simple devices or complete focal plane arrays
• Extensive and flexible qualification heritage with many years experience with NASA, ESA, CNES, JAXA and ISRO as well as simpler upscreen approaches
• Comprehensive technology from the most stable back illumination as standard to charge multiplication
• Extensive knowledge and experience in radiation effects and mitigation, combined with radiation tolerant design

e2v has expertise in the following applications:

Space science

The detailed information and images obtained with e2v’s imaging sensors are helping us to understand more about the universe than ever before. e2v’s imaging sensors are instrumental to a number of space missions including; the upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope, which is now using e2v imaging sensors to look further into the universe than ever before, to the detection of new extra-solar planets with NASA’s Kepler and studying the Sun onboard SDO for NASA and Picard for CNES. Future missions include ESA’s GAIA mission which will map over 1 billion objects in the Milky Way using 106 e2v imaging sensors to equip its focal plane, the largest to ever be flown in space.


Ground based astronomy

On the ground, the highest levels of device performance are required for astronomical spectroscopy, imaging, wavefront sensing/adaptive optics, and auxiliary instrument applications. Standard and custom devices used individually or in large mosaics are a speciality of the e2v imaging team. e2v imaging sensors are used by most of the world’s astronomers including the European Southern Observatory, and many other international and national observatories.


Earth observation

e2v is a leading supplier of imaging sensors for Earth observation satellites. These satellites are designed specifically to observe the Earth from orbit and provide continuous monitoring of the Earth's surface for purposes including resource monitoring, disaster monitoring, ocean monitoring and land mapping.

e2v is a world leading supplier of multi-linear and multi-TDI (Time Delay Information) solutions allowing for high sensitivity, high resolution and very low noise applications. e2v's imaging sensors have been very successful with the most demanding Earth observation missions such as Pleiades for CNES or SEOSAT/INGENIO for ESA.

 

Please click here to view our range of imaging sensors.

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