Space Structures & Payloads
High performance structural materials are widely used in the space industry where strength to weight ratio is one of the primary considerations in materials design selection. Real time load monitoring of a space structure would help designers move closer to the edge of their design envelopes without jeopardising the safety of the structure itself.Optical fiber strain sensing is a key enabling technology for such monitoring due the negligible sensor weight, its intrinsic safety, and the ability to interrogate dense arrays of sensors using one instrument.

The benefit of zero drift offered by FBG sensors makes them ideal for long-term structural health monitoring of orbiting platforms, specifically imaging structures in which the dimensional stability of the spacecraft body is vital for accurate measurements.

Smart Fibres are also active in the space industry and our systems are being used to monitor composite technologies in service within the Arianne spacecraft programme. Further details are available in our project pages.