Innovative Liquid Lenses Enhance Satellite Monitoring
Image credit: NASA
The Australian Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) is trialling liquid lenses, a cutting-edge technology that enables a satellite to take a selfie. Typically, cameras on satellites, including CubeSats, are fitted to take photos of the Earth and monitor climate patterns. However, DSTG's latest satellite, the Buccaneer Main Mission, is equipped with a camera that also looks back at the satellite itself, providing imaging equipment to examine the satellite to check for failed antenna deployments, damage from radiation, micro-meteorites, or other space hazards.
To enable the camera to focus on things like Earth and the satellite itself, DSTG has opted to use a liquid lens. A cell composed of two liquids changes shape when an electrical voltage is applied to the lens, changing its focus without any moving parts, making it a perfect fit for the harsh conditions of space. Liquid lenses offer a wide range of focus with precise adjustments in a small space and are relatively inexpensive and robust, with no mechanical parts to break.
To test their liquid lens technology, DSTG conducted a range of experiments at the Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF), exposing various lens samples to high-energy proton beams of increasing intensity. The lenses showed no degradation in their optical performance after testing, indicating that they could withstand the types of radiation they would be exposed to while in orbit. The HIAF is the only facility in Australia capable of producing such beams, making this testing significant for the Australian space industry.
Through collaborating with research and industry partners globally, DSTG enhances its science and technology impact, leveraging leading science, technology, knowledge, and innovation. By adopting liquid lens technology, DSTG's work on the Buccaneer Main Mission ground-breaking imaging system highlights Australia's commitment to innovation and collaboration in space. This initiative looks set to further drive the growth of the Australian space industry while unlocking new opportunities for technological advancement.
Original article: https://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2024/07/04/mil-osi-australia-liquid-lenses-for-better-satellite-monitoring/
