A U.S. spacecraft undertook a complex mission to land on an asteroid, collect surface samples, and return them to Earth for scientific analysis. Operating in a near-zero-gravity environment required extremely precise optical sensing and control.
Coastal Connections, a subsidiary of Impact ES, was selected to design and manufacture custom fiber-optic assemblies supporting the spacecraft’s LIDAR system—technology critical to guiding descent, landing, and sampling operations.
Deep-space operation introduced several unique engineering constraints:
• Microgravity landing
Asteroids exert almost no gravitational force, making traditional landing sensors ineffective and requiring highly precise distance measurement.
• Tight physical constraints
The optical housing was pre-designed and space-qualified, requiring the fiber-optic assembly to fit precisely within a fixed mechanical envelope.
• Evolving requirements
The mission utilized 405 nm lasers, while industry trends are moving toward 350 nm systems requiring forward-compatible design considerations.
• Space-ready durability
Components needed to survive launch vibration, vacuum conditions, radiation exposure, sampling operations, and Earth re‐entry.
The spacecraft relied on a LIDAR-based sensing system to measure distance and guide its final approach to the asteroid surface.
• Provides accurate, real-time distance measurements
• Enables controlled descent in microgravity
• Supports precise positioning for surface sampling
In an environment where gravity offers little assistance, reliable optical sensing is essential for safe landing and mission success.
Coastal Connections delivered a fiber-optic solution engineered for mission-critical performance:
• Custom-fit optical assemblies
Designed to integrate seamlessly into the existing space-qualified housing.
• Optimized for LIDAR performance
Ensured stable, low-loss optical transmission for accurate distance measurement and landing control.
• Forward-compatible engineering
Designed to support 405 nm lasers while anticipating future 350 nm sensing technologies.
• Space-qualified reliability
Built to withstand extreme vibration, thermal cycling, vacuum, radiation, and re-entry shock.
The mission successfully achieved its objectives:
• Approached and landed on the asteroid
• Collected surface material
• Returned the sample capsule safely to Earth
Coastal Connections’ fiber-optic assemblies performed flawlessly throughout the multi-year mission, validating their reliability in one of the most demanding environments imaginable.
