As commercial space applications are proliferating there is need for innovative methodology in the design and qualification of infrared cameras. Traditional space qualification plans followed by the aerospace industry are very thorough, but they are too onerous for new-space commercial applications. Cryogenic MWIR camera systems are especially tedious to qualify for the space environment due to 1) MWIR cameras incorporate expensive and delicate FPAs inside a vacuum cryo-housing, 2) they also incorporate expensive cryocoolers that have limited lifetime, 3) their camera electronics needs to be immune to radiation, and 4) the camera assembly must survive launch and must be vacuum compatible. This paper presents a novel approach to design and rapid space qualification of cooled MWIR camera systems. An ASIC chip based built in self-test in the camera simplifies health and status check of the FPA, of the cooler and of the electronics. Smart electronics is incorporated in the camera to automate and highly accelerate various electro-optical tests as well as various space environment qualification tests.
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SAAZ presents rapid space qualification technology for IR cameras at SPIE Optics and Photonics international conference
