Cedrat Technologies, innovation in mechatronics

Micro-switches are frequently used in Space mechanisms to provide telemetry or to provide positive indication of the achievement of a desired position or function such as open, close, ready-to-latch, latched, end of travel, reference position, and for different mechanism applications. Current switches that rely on electro-mechanical technology are not very reliable and are sensitive to mounting orientation, to thermal gradients, and have a limited number of operational cycles, which is a problem for long life application, launch vibrations and shocks loads.

New space giant constellations based on Free-Space Optical Communication (FSO) are a new challenge from many perspectives. Considering the mandatory cost efficiency, with repeatability of performances, and reliability with no defect at customer integration, requires an upheaval in space production and acceptance test methods, when the quantities are beyond several thousands of units. Starting from the former PYSCHE PAM30 flight project heritage for Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC), CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES (CTEC) presents the new design and test results of the P-FSM150S Fast Steering Mirror (FSM) Engineering Models, developed under ARTES project TELCO-B for future FSO constellations.

SYNJET3C is a CleansKy2 development project aiming at improving the efficiency of Synthetic Jet Actuators (SJA), with a consortium composed of major European actors to this technology which are ONERA, FRAUNHOFER, TRISITEC, and CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES (CTEC).

This review presents CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES (CTEC) solutions developed for more than 20 years for Fast & fine Steering Mirrors (FSM) as required in air, space, defence & other embedded or demanding applications: Typical appli-cations are for example Lidar, free space optical communication (FSO) and Laser interferometry.

For more than 20 years, CTEC has been involved in various space missions, delivering products designed for severe environment conditions (vibrations, shocks, vacuum, humidity, wide thermal range including cryogenic). Eddy current sensor (ECS) technology, using printed circuit board (PCB) for printed coils, provides both a good resolution/accuracy and a good robustness against temperature variations.These sensors are available commercially off the shelf (COTS).

CTEC is developing and testing Rotary Voice Coil Motors (RVCM) for new cryogenic space scan mechanisms applications, based on former MTG space program heritage. The RVCM is an electromagnetic motor based on Laplace force. The motor is composed of coils at the rotor part (mobile) and magnets at the stator part (fixed). The Laplace motor generates a pure torque, without cogging or parasitic force drawback, which makes it specifically relevant for scan mechanisms.

Free-Space Optics (FSO) for optical communication request new compact low-power high-stroke high-bandwidth Fast Steering Mirrors (FSM). To address this need, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES has developed a Magnetically-actuated Fast Steering Mirror called M-FSM, taking heritage of its MICA™ actuators. This FSM offers Rx Ry strokes larger than +/- 2° with a 250Hz bandwidth when tilting a 31mm diam mirror. Requested power is minimized leading to low heating. Vibration tests have been performed to define first limits and conditions for the M-FSM to bear external vibrations. Large bandwidth closed loop control is achieved using integrated eddy current sensor and a state feedback-based controller.