Tyndall National Institute has successfully supported the European Space Agency in developing the world’s first space‑based gravitational wave observatory, concluding a multi‑year project that contributed critical expertise to the ambitious Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.
Tyndall’s role focused on evaluating the reliability of commercial photonic components, small but vital parts that will help power LISA’s ultra-precise laser system. These lasers will span millions of kilometers between three spacecraft flying in formation, measuring minuscule changes in distance caused by gravitational waves.
As members of the project team, Tyndall’s Senior Engineering Staff Catriona Kenny and Principal Engineer Finbarr Waldron conducted long-term reliability testing and detailed construction analysis on a wide range of active and passive photonic devices, including laser diodes, photodiodes, UV LEDs, modulators, switches, isolators, and more. Each component was assessed against ESA’s demanding space standards, with risk levels identified for their potential use in the LISA laser system.
The outcome is a comprehensive dataset that will help ESA make informed decisions about which components to use, ensuring the mission’s laser system performs as intended when deployed.