Design and configuration of Space optical system

In the fields of space exploration, satellite communication, and deep space imaging, space optical systems play a critical role as the “eyes” and “bridge.” With technological advancements, achieving high-precision, lightweight, and wide-field optical system designs in extreme environments has become a core challenge for the industry. As an innovative leader in the optics field, Bena Optics is redefining the possibilities of space optical systems through its cutting-edge configuration designs and technological breakthroughs.

Designing and configuring space optical systems is a complex and multidisciplinary field that involves optics, mechanics, electronics, materials science, and more.

In the late 20th century, large-aperture space telescopes commonly used two-mirror systems, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, which employs a Ritchey-Chrétien (RC) system, as shown in the picture. The primary advantage of the RC system is its compact structure. However, to further correct off-axis aberrations such as astigmatism, field curvature, and distortion, additional transmissive correction lenses are required. This introduces extra chromatic aberration and stray light.

Since the 20th century, the three-mirror anastigmat (TMA) configuration proposed by Korsh has been widely adopted, as shown in Figure 3. This system eliminates spherical aberration, coma, and astigmatism at the cost of adding an aspheric surface. However, both systems are coaxial and suffer from central obstruction caused by the secondary mirror and its support structure, as well as spider diffraction patterns. These issues result in noticeable diffraction patterns in star images and make it challenging to achieve both long focal lengths and wide fields of view simultaneously.

To address these issues, Bena Optics has proposed a design philosophy of “Modular Configuration + Intelligent Optimization” and achieved breakthroughs through the following technical approaches:

Through these innovative approaches, Bena Optics is redefining the capabilities and performance of space optical systems, addressing the challenges of achieving high precision, lightweight, and wide-field designs_

1. Dual-Plane Symmetry Design: Drawing inspiration from catadioptric deformed optical systems, a biconic surface configuration is employed. This design achieves differentiated focal lengths in the XOZ and YOZ planes (e.g., 500mm and 1000mm), allowing conventional sensor sizes to capture ultra-wide fields of view while maintaining system compactness (total length of only 156mm).

2. Application of Aspheric and Freeform Surfaces: Utilizing a Cassegrain antenna configuration, both the primary and secondary mirrors are designed with aspheric surfaces. This significantly enhances light collection efficiency and imaging quality. The central wavelength is adapted to the 1550nm communication band, achieving a field of view angle of 1° and optimizing transmission efficiency and gain by more than 30%.

3. Multi-Physics Field Collaborative Simulation: Integrating optical design software such as Zemax and FRED with thermodynamic and mechanical stress analysis ensures the system’s stability in extreme environments.