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Testing engineering and flight models
 LISA Pathfinder will use so-called non-planar ring oscillators (NPROs) as
lasers. This laser only needs to emit a few 10 mW, but has to be very
low-noise. As is usual for space projects, a number of implementations of
this laser are built. First, a breadboard setup, then a so-called engineering
model, and finally the flight model. While the latter one will be placed in
the satellite and put into space, the engineering model should ideally be
identical to the flight model. It is commonly used to identify last minute
changes that are necessary and to fix problems, that were not identified
earlier on.
In our group functional tests and characterization measurements of the
engineering model of the LISA Pathfinder laser have been performed. In
collaboration with the laser manufacturer a significant performance gain
could be achieved.
 Research - Developing LISA and LISA Pathfinder (back to research main page)
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