December 2, 2005, Grenoble, France--The recently launched Venus Express spacecraft has been a boon to optoelectronics manufacturers; Sofradir just announced that its 320- x 256-pixel mid-wave IR mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) IR detector is deployed in the craft's SOIR (solar-occultation IR) instrument, one of three data channels being used in an imaging spectrometer to measure UV and IR radiation.

Launched early November, Venus Express is the European Space Agency's first mission to Earth's nearest planetary neighbor to carry out more detailed study of Venus' atmosphere. Through Sofradir's MCT IR detector, SOIR will achieve a more detailed observation of Venus's atmosphere at longer IR wavelengths.

Venus Express is the latest in a lengthening line of space missions for Sofradir. The company's IR detectors are currently in operation on Helios IIA, the second-generation military surveillance program, noted Philippe Bensussan, CEO of Sofradir.

Sofradir was given nine months to have the MCT IR detector for the spectrometer ready, but succeeded in delivering it in six months. "We took one of our standard mid-wave MCT IR detectors, reworked the cooler to be space-grade, and adapted the width of the spectral waveband to meet specifications," said Philippe Tribolet, VP of R&D and technologies.

Venus Express is scheduled to reach Venus's orbit in April 2006, whereupon observations of the atmosphere will begin.

Fri Dec 02 09:05:00 CST 2005