Engineering Achievements, MAVEN Mission to Mars

Sturbridge, MA – PHOTONIS USA, a leading electro-optic manufacturer, is the recipient of an award for technical engineering achievement from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Goddard Space Center for its work to provide custom ion detection sensors for the MAVEN mission to Mars.

The award, the RHG Exceptional Achievement for Engineering Team, was presented to PHOTONIS USA to recognize “the outstanding team that delivered all MAVEN technical, schedule and cost commitments through launch for Goddard’s first mission to Mars.” PHOTONIS provided several electron multipliers for use in Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) instrument installed in the MAVEN that provides analysis of the atmosphere of the red planet.

PHOTONIS has a long history in providing custom electron multipliers, microchannel plates and other sensitive detection components to analyze a wide range of space phenomena. It exclusively provides a low noise glass option that provides a dark count that approaches the background level of cosmic rays, making it ideal for space observation. The company has won previous awards from NASA for other missions and continues to manufacture components for a wide range of other space missions in several countries. PHOTONIS also previously announced its participation on another MAVEN instrument, the SWEA.

PHOTONIS is a multi-national high-technology group with more than 40 years experience in manufacture, sales, and innovation of specialized photo-sensor and electro-optic technologies. The PHOTONIS Group operates internationally in the Night Vision, Industrial, Scientific, Medical and Imaging markets. PHOTONIS USA designs and manufactures a wide range of custom and standardized components and assemblies for mass spectrometry as well as other medical, bio-medical and scientific instruments, and holds several patents in these fields.

Lauded for Engineering Achievements on MAVEN Mission to Mars

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