Innovative Fiber-Optic Gyroscopes (FOGs) for High Accuracy Space Applications

NASA's future science and exploratory missions will require much lighter, smaller, and longer life rate sensors that can provide high accuracy navigational performance that will not be compromised in stressing radiation and vibration environments. IFOS proposes to develop a compact, highly innovative Inertial Reference Measurement Unit (IRU) that pushes the state of the art in high accuracy performance from a FOG with drastically reduced optical and electronic package volumes. The proposed IRU is envisioned as a critical part of an Inertial Measurement System (IMU) to be prototyped in future phases of the project. The basic design features a novel, small volume, high performance FOG configuration, capable of providing high-end tactical grade and navigational grade performance from much smaller size units as compared with IMUs currently available. The proposed gyroscope is based on an innovative approach using a Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) coils that can be extended to shorter wavelength (SW) operation for even more drastic size and weight reductions while maintaining accuracy and low noise attributes at kHz bandwidths. While the optic unit is inherently radiation resistant, the project also aims to apply cutting-edge electronics packaging approaches that are compatible with radiation hard (RH) components. Phase I will focus on feasibility study of the PCF FOG concept, demonstration of critical components, performance/size tradeoffs and preliminary designs of FOG-based packages, leading to a prototype IRU to be designed and built in Phase II, where advanced designs for an IMU will also be developed.

Advancement of rate sensor components is essential to support navigation and attitude control systems for advanced NASA exploratory and satellite missions. The proposed high accuracy IFOS FOGs will have significantly reduced size and weight with ruggedized components designed to meet stringent radiation, vibration and thermal specifications. Anticipated benefits include the ability to perform high-end, challenging navigational functions using an IMU package that is smaller than anything currently available from even the most advanced state-of-the-art instruments. A robust, high performance, cost-effective gyroscope suitable for space-based operations will also have significant impact on demanding line-of-sight (LOS) stabilization for NASA applications that require spacecraft stabilized instrumentation platforms for long term space applications. As well as providing weight reduction, the miniaturization enabled by our optical fiber technology is key to diverse spin-off applications such as for sensor matrices in NASA's extra-vehicular and planetary exploration robots for manned and unmanned missions.

Applications range from rate sensors and gyros used in commercial avionics to navigational inertial reference and measurement units needed for commercial small satellites and landing spacecraft, to gas and oil applications such as measurement-while-drilling (MWD) deployed in horizontal directional drilling. The proposed work will significantly benefit the commercial aviation industry as well as sensor arrays for medical applications and homeland security robotic disarming of bombs. Reducing the size, weight, power (and cost of these sensors and improving robustness against harsh environmental risk factors – all without loss of performance - is also critical for many advanced interceptor and satellite platforms that are of interest to DOD and advanced aerospace applications.

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