SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 10 -- NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) has completed integration, testing and prelaunch checkout at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale and has been delivered to the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida for an April launch. SIRTF's Cryogenic Telescope Assembly, which includes the scientific instruments, was built by Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colo., and was delivered to Space Systems in Sunnyvale in February and integrated with the Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft. SIRTF is a cryogenically cooled space observatory that will conduct infrared...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaArticlesSpectroscopy and Machine Learning Focus Lens on Far Reaches of the UniverseResearchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney spectroscopically confirmed a number of strong...Photonics.com 10/11/2022Laser Altimeter Among Instruments to Help Explore Jupiter’s MoonsThe European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch its Jupiter Icy Moons Explore (JUICE) mission this week, which aims to explore Jupiter and its moons. On board the spacecraft will be the GALA...Photonics.com 4/11/2023Optofluidic Device Tests for Blood Disorders at Point of CareAbnormalities in white blood cell count are indicative of a blood disorder. Measuring these abnormalities is imperative. However, the use of flow cytometry and other conventional methods to assess...Photonics.com 1/25/2024Nonlinear Optics Upconverts IR to Visible for IR Imaging at Local LevelFrom defense to astronomy to environmental science, multiple sectors rely on IR imaging and sensing to uncover critical information that cannot be detected by light in the visible range. ...Photonics.com 6/25/2024ProductsTwo-color Sandwich DetectorsTwo-color Sandwich Detectors from OSI Optoelectronics Inc. are designed for optical remote temperature measurements. The devices include an uncooled silicon-silicon detector and an uncooled...Photonics.com 8/3/2022CMOS CameraThe COSMOS™ camera from Teledyne Princeton Instruments Inc. is a 66-MP large-array device designed for astronomy applications. The deeply-cooled camera features LACera™ large-area...Photonics.com 8/3/2022Thermal Camera ModuleThe Boson+ CZ 14-75 camera module from Teledyne FLIR features a factory-integrated, high-performance, 14- to 75-mm continuous zoom lens to streamline the manufacturing supply chain. Used for...Photonics.com 5/22/2023Thermal CamerasThe Boson+ line of thermal cameras from Teledyne FLIR now features 24 compact models with resolutions of 320 × 256. The Boson+ line features a 12-µm pixel pitch thermal detector...Photonics.com 4/20/2023Photonics Handbook ArticlesAdaptive Optics: Taming Atmospheric TurbulenceTo Isaac Newton the problem was clear, and in 1704 he realized the effects of atmospheric turbulence on image formation. Just as heat waves shimmering above a hot patch of ground can distort our...Photonics HandbookDetectors: The Charge Injection AlternativeCharged-injection device imagers are metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) detectors that can be fabricated using PMOS, NMOS and CMOS integrated circuit technology, and may be configured as a...Photonics HandbookDetectors: CCDs for Life-Science ApplicationsSince their invention in the late 1960s, charge-coupled devices, also called CCDs, have found widespread use in imaging applications. Electronic cameras based on CCD technology are used in...Photonics HandbookNanopositioning: A Step AheadBy its original definition, a nanopositioning device is a mechanism capable of repeatedly delivering motion in increments as small as one nanometer. Lately demands from industry and research have...Photonics HandbookWhite PapersPositioning at the Nanoscale (and Below): Trust in Proven PerformanceThrough a deep knowledge of sensing technologies, technically adept personnel, and experience across applications as diverse as astronomy to live cell imaging, Mad City Labs helps our customers...Photonics.com 10/19/2022Advantages of VPH GratingsThe term 'diffraction grating' often brings to mind a surface relief grating, with ruled lines and a delicate surface. A transmission grating, however, opens up many new options for the optical...Photonics.com 9/19/2022Diffraction Gratings - an IntroductionThis paper is ideal for those wanting an introductory guide to the various types of diffraction gratings and understanding their advantages and disadvantages as well as including some useful grating...Photonics.com 8/25/2022Antireflection Coatings for Space ApplicationsSpace can be a harsh environment for optical coatings. Optimax has successfully provided antireflection (AR) coatings for a wide range of space applications. This paper outlines the results of...Photonics.com 1/16/2024WebinarsProtective Coatings Extend Optics LifetimesPlease download the above “associated file” for a pdf copy of this webinar. From military airborne applications to harsh industrial uses, optics can be subjected to considerable...Photonics.com 10/10/2018New Photon-Counting Detectors Expand Frontiers in Scientific ImagingJiaju Ma explains the fundamentals of photon-counting image sensors, or quanta image sensors (QIS), beginning with the background knowledge necessary to effectively apply these devices. This...Photonics.com 1/13/2022Design and Optimization of Optical WaveguidesOptical waveguides are important building blocks for many optical devices and systems. Well-known applications range from basic optical fibers to more complex multiphysical components, such as...Photonics.com 11/30/2023Stigmatic Optical Imaging: The Past, Present, and FutureThe exact equation to design a stigmatic lens has recently been discovered and extensively studied. This equation allows researchers to explore several stigmatic optical systems and shows that these...Photonics.com 8/22/2023Photonics Dictionary TermsCCD cameraA CCD camera, or charge-coupled device camera, is a type of digital camera that utilizes a CCD image sensor to capture and record images. CCD cameras are widely used in various applications,...Photonics Dictionaryphoton-richPhoton-rich typically refers to an environment or situation where there is an abundance of photons present. In the context of optics, photon-rich environments are those where there is a high density...Photonics Dictionaryabsorption spectrumAn absorption spectrum is a graphical representation of the absorption of light by a material as a function of wavelength, frequency, or energy. It displays the specific wavelengths of light that are...Photonics Dictionaryazimuth angle1. In astronomy, the angle measured clockwise (eastward) in a horizontal plane, usually from north (true north, Y-north, grid north or magnetic north). 2. With relation to the plane-polarized light...Photonics DictionaryMediaBalor sCMOS for Astronomy - Andor TechnologyCapture More. Further. Faster. Balor sCMOS for Astronomy.Photonics.com 11/20/2023Designing for Manufacturability with Fluorides and Other High Expansion Materials - LaCroix Precision OpticsAs the demand for fluorides and other high expansion materials increases, it is important to understand the risks/challenges involved with these materials and how they affect various factors such as...Photonics.com 3/4/2024Specifying Optical Coatings - LaCroix Precision OpticsOptical coatings modify the reflectance, transmittance, and absorptive properties of optic substrates to make them much more efficient and functional. From an optical manufacturer's perspective,...Photonics.com 3/4/2024Ask Andover: How Do Imaging Filters Apply to Astronomy?In this educational video, we'll discuss the distinctions between different optical imaging filters used in astronomy. You will learn about Kron and John filters, Gaia filters and Sloan filters, and...Photonics.com 10/26/2022Photonics Buyers' Guide CategoriesAstronomical InstrumentsAstronomical TelescopesAn astronomical telescope is a type of optical instrument designed to gather and magnify light from distant celestial objects for observation and analysis. It typically consists of two main optical...Astronomical MirrorsAn astronomical mirror, also known as a telescope mirror or primary mirror, is a key component of a reflecting telescope. It serves as the primary optical element responsible for gathering and...Astronomical OpticsCompaniesLaCroix Precision OpticsThe LaCroix name is synonymous with quality precision optics. Since 1947, three generations of family leadership have guided LaCroix Precision Optics to become the premier precision optics...Photonics Buyers' GuideAndor TechnologyAndor Technology Ltd is a global developer and manufacturer of high-performance scientific cameras, microscopy systems and spectrographs for academic, government, and industrial applications. Founded...Photonics Buyers' GuideOZ Optics LimitedEstablished in 1985, OZ Optics is a leading worldwide supplier of fiber optic components, test equipment and sensors. OZ Optics manufactures its products in three locations, Ottawa (Canada),...Photonics Buyers' GuideTeledyne Judson TechnologiesTeledyne Judson Technologies (TJT) is a global leader for IR sensors from the Visible to VLWIR spectrum. Two-dimensional FPAs (InGaAs, InSb, and MCT) and Integrated Dewar Cooler Assemblies (IDCAs)...Photonics Buyers' Guide