We are proud to see our optical technology reaching space as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) FLEX – Fluorescence Explorer mission.
FLEX is designed to provide a new perspective on the health and productivity of vegetation on Earth. Using a highly sensitive imaging spectrometer, the mission measures the very weak fluorescence emitted by plants during photosynthesis. These measurements will help scientists better understand how efficiently vegetation converts sunlight into energy and how plants respond to environmental changes and stress.
The collected data will contribute to a better understanding of global ecosystems and the Earth’s carbon cycle.
Materion contributed four critical optical components to the FLEX instrument, developed and manufactured at our Space Hub in Jena, Germany.
These components play an essential role in defining the optical performance and functionality of the spectrometer, enabling the precise measurement of the extremely faint fluorescence signals emitted by vegetation.
The FLEX programme also represents an important milestone in the development of our advanced optical coating technologies. During an earlier phase of the project, we developed a process to manufacture linear variable filters using the PARMS coating process. This technology is now the baseline for a variety of products.
The successful launch of FLEX represents years of engineering, manufacturing and collaboration between ESA, industry and research partners.
We are proud that Materion’s optical expertise is contributing to a mission that will help scientists better understand our planet.
Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX)
Linear Variable Filter developed for FLEX
