Qualified for space

Suitable for everywhere: Platinum temperature sensors in thin-film technology are produced in cleanrooms.

Endress+Hauser's measurement technology not only reliably serves on Earth: For many years, sensors from the Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG, which is part of the Endress+Hauser Group, have been successfully used in space projects. Now, a series of platinum temperature sensors based on thin-film technology has received the so-called ESCC qualification from the European Space Agency (ESA). This standardizes the sensors for use in space and allows them to be used on all missions.

In the past, ESA mainly worked with wire-wound temperature sensors for their projects. These sensors consist of a thin platinum wire wound around a ceramic plate until the desired resistance is achieved. However, these sensors often could not withstand the strong vibrations and extreme temperature fluctuations in space. Therefore, ESA was looking for a robust alternative—and found it in the thin-film technology of Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG. Because the structure of the platinum resistor is firmly bonded to the ceramic surface of the sensor, these temperature sensors have no problem with the harsh conditions in space.

To meet the high requirements of ESA, the sensor specialist adapted and further developed a product series. Tests showed that the sensors deliver stable measurement results even after 70,000 measurement cycles from -200 to +200 degrees Celsius. Additionally, they are compact, lightweight, and have no moving parts. Next, the sensors will be used, among other applications, in the Euclid space telescope: With this, ESA aims to conduct six years of research in space starting in 2022 on dark matter and dark energy.