Optical Support, Inc. Builds Optical Subsystems for Lunar Intelligence (LUNINT) Business on Two Spacecraft

OSI optical engineer performng precision lens alignment.

Optical subsystems will assist LUNINT demonstration using celestial navigation, lunar terrain tracking, and high resolution lunar surface imaging.

This contract underscores OSI's recognized capabilities and expertise in rapidly delivering custom precision optical systems to our space and defense customers.”

— Michael Savard

TUCSON, AZ, USA, March 13, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Optical Support, Inc. (OSI) has been selected by Rhea Space Activity (RSA) to design, build and deliver custom optical subsystems for RSA’s Jervis Autonomy Module (JAM), a plug-and-play satellite subcomponent providing autonomous navigation and maneuvering in cislunar space. Two JAM units are slated to fly on two lunar communications satellites launched by Draper Laboratory in 2026 as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

“This contract underscores OSI’s recognized capabilities and expertise in rapidly delivering custom precision optical systems to our space and defense customers. We now have several years of spaceflight heritage with multiple imagers and sensors on orbit, successfully fulfilling their mission profiles,” said Michael Savard, President and Founder, Optical Support, Inc. “We’re proud to partner with RSA in support of NASA’s CLPS initiative.”

RSA’s JAM module provides spacecraft with autonomous guidance and navigation, allowing it to determine its trajectory from images of celestial objects rather than contacting ground stations on Earth. The custom cameras created for JAM can also take images of the lunar surface for many other purposes. The cameras are designed to take the highest resolution images of the lunar surface from orbit, for lunar intelligence (LUNINT) purposes. These images will be used to create lunar mapping products along with collecting high resolution imagery of other areas of interest, such as the Apollo landing site.

“In addition to providing immediate support to the CLPS-12 mission, the proprietary ultra-high resolution imagery that RSA will collect during and after the mission will also be used to create digital elevation models (DEMs) of the entire lunar surface,” said Shawn Usman, astrophysicist and CEO, RSA. “These DEMs are the type of mapping products that are used here on Earth to guide munitions to their target in military strikes and were also recently used by Intuitive Machines during their nerve-racking landing a few weeks ago. RSA’s future Lunar Intelligence (LUNINT) products will provide additional resolution, clarity, and usability of such data to reduce the risk of future lunar landings. We’re fortunate to have OSI’s optical systems expertise for these upcoming lunar missions and we are excited to leverage their capabilities in developing RSA's space and quantum communication products that we are building out of our offices in the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom.”

OSI was previously awarded a trade study contract to define technical and operational requirements for these systems. Under terms of this latest contract, initial deliveries to RSA are expected in late 2024.

About Optical Support, Inc.
Optical Support, Inc. is a provider of custom lenses, sensors, interferometers, optical test equipment and system alignment tools serving the space and defense, commercial sensing, semiconductor, cinematography, and biomedical markets. The company offers optical and mechanical design services, in-house CNC fabrication, and assembly capabilities from the EUV to LWIR with precision to microns to achieve the critical performance requirements of its customers. Founded in 2005, OSI is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.
For more information Inc., please visit: https://www.opticalsupportinc.com

About Rhea Space Activity, Inc.
Rhea Space Activity (RSA) is a team of brilliant minds passionate about tackling complex challenges. The company is applying advanced and disruptive tech to solve the world’s security challenges. RSA specializes in innovative solutions for secure communication and reliable navigation in challenging environments. The company is headquartered in Washington, DC, with a wholly owned subsidiary in the United Kingdom.
For more information, please visit: https://www.rheaspaceactivity.com/

Media Contacts:
RSA CONTACT

Kelly Flynn
Rhea Space Activity, Washington, DC
kelly.flynn@rheaspaceactivity.com
1.540.270.2259

OSI CONTACT

Robert Shroder
Optical Support, Inc.
+1 520-257-3224
rshroder@opticalsupportinc.com
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