Interferometer-controlled 6D-Motion System for Spectrometer Calibration

As part of the European Earth Observation Programme "Copernicus", the European Space Agency (ESA) coordinates the space-born missions Sentinel-4, -5 precursor and -5 (S4, S5P, S5, respectively), which will provide the information base for research on ozone concentration, surface UV radition, air quality, and climate changes. Sentinel-5 focusses on air quality and the interaction between air composition and climate. For this task, the Sentinel-5 mission consists of a high-resolution spectrometer system covering the ultraviolet to shortwave infrared range.

For the calibration of the spectrometer, SmarAct has developed a nanopositioning system that is based on a special SmarPod motion system and a PicoScale interferometric measuement system. The SmarAct system moves it in front of the spectrometer with an absolute accuracy in the single-µm-range. The measurement campaigns were performed by Airbus Defense and Space in Ottobrunn, Germany, with special cleanroom and vacuum environments. The first of this new generation of weather satellites has been launched in French Guiana on 13th August 2025.