Swiss Precision Mechanism Successfully Tested in Space 

Synopta GmbH develops and produces highly precise beam steeering mechanisms for optical space communication systems. The first of those mechanisms has been successfully tested in orbit on 10 September 2014 and commenced operations on‐board an Earth observation satellite of the European Space Agency.

On 3 April 2014 the European Space Agency (ESA) has launched its Earth observation satellite Sentinel‐1A from Kourou, French‐Guayana. The satellite is operating at an altitude of about 700 km above ground. Sentinel‐1A is the first of the Sentinel‐Fleet consisting of a number of spacecraft planned to be launched during the next years in frame of ESA's Earth observation program Copernicus. The satellites of the Copernicus program will collect a large variety of data that are getting increasingly important, for instance, for land surface monitoring, disaster or crises management, maritime research, monitoring of the atmosphere or for climate research.

The Earth observation data gained by Sentinel‐1A are transmitted to the user on ground by a Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) built by Tesat‐Spacecom, Backnang (Germany). Those terminals offer so far unprecedented data transmission rates of up to 5.6 Gbit/sec either towards other satellites or directly to ground. A central element of the LCT was delivered by Synopta GmbH, an innovative SME from Eggersriet (SG) in Switzerland; under contract of Tesat‐Spacecom Synopta has developed and manufactured the so‐called "Coarse Pointing Assembly (CPA)" for the LCT. The CPA was extensively tested on ground and passed all qualification tests necessary for long term operations in space. The CPA is used for precise pointing of the LCT laser beam either towards a counter terminal embarked on another satellite or to an optical ground station. The angular pointing accuracy of the CPA is in the order of a few thousandth of a degree. The successful demonstration in orbit on‐board Sentinel‐1A was an important milestone for Synopta.

The Earth observation data generated by the Sentinel‐Satellites during their future routine operations will be transmitted via the geostationary satellites of the European Data Relay Satellite (EDRS) System. Orbiting at an altitude of 36'000 km above ground those satellites will operate as relay stations receiving data from the Earth observation satellites and transmitting them to the users on ground. The EDRS satellites will also be equipped with Tesat‐Spacecom LCTs for which Synopta is delivering the CPAs. The first EDRS satellite will be launched later this year.

In addition to the CPA beam steering mechanisms Synopta delivers also the Optical Ground Stations used for optical communication links with satellites in geostationary orbit or low Earth orbit.