When ASE Optics was commissioned by IACTEC to design and develop a SWIR lens for the DRAGO-2 camera, the goal was clear: to manufacture an integrated optical system that would enable high-quality imaging from space. This was a unique opportunity to validate ASE Optics’ ability to design and develop optical systems for space applications: “From the beginning, it was clear to us that we could and would tackle this challenge: ASE Optics has more than ten years of experience developing optical and photonic systems for hostile environments and critical applications, such as fusion or the defense industry. The New Space was the next level we wanted to reach, and so it has been”, explains Andrés Cifuentes, CEO of ASE Optics. The DRAGO-2 camera, developed by IACTEC-Espacio, required a different lens, much more complex than its predecessor, the DRAGO-1 camera: “DRAGO-2 has a different and more complex lens, with six times more focal length, and that is what makes it have much higher resolution,” explains Alba Peláez, optical engineer at IACTEC-Espacio in the press release published by the IAC.
Differences in resolution between DRAGO-1 and DRAGO-2 in an area of eastern Bangladesh. Source: IAC. ASE Optics’ team of optical engineers studied the characteristics of the DRAGO-2 camera to select the optical design best suited to the objectives set, in close coordination with IACTEC-Space’s mechanical and systems engineers, for the complete integration of the lens into the camera. The results are a success: the first images are of very high quality, making it possible to distinguish numerous and diverse natural phenomena, as confirmed by Rafael Rebolo, Director of the IAC, in the press release published by the institution.
DRAGO-2 image showing different burned areas in Mali. Source: IAC This new milestone in design and development of integrated and complex optical systems means a breakthrough for ASE Optics in all aspects: it confirms the company’s capabilities in development and manufacturing of complex optical systems, and validates its reliability as a provider of solutions in optics and photonics for the New Space sector and all its potential applications, such as Earth observation. DRAGO-2 was integrated on the Italian company D-Orbit’s ION-SCV 007 Glorious Gratia satellite carrier aboard a Space X Falcon 9 rocket. ASE Optics Europe was founded with the aim to offer an innovative and creative alternative within the optical design and engineering industry: they design and develop tailor-made optical and optoelectronic systems, of high precision and quality with high technical performance, for demanding applications such as New Space, Fusion, defense or science industry. More information at: info@aseoptics.com