The Miniature Optical Steered Antenna for Intersatellite Communications (MOSAIC)
By Shreeyam Kacker
The Miniature Optical Steered Antenna for Intersatellite Communications (MOSAIC) project aims to qualify liquid lens technology for use in space. The project aims to construct a prototype miniaturized optical transceiver with hemispherical pointing-and-tracking coverage, enabling wide field-of-view laser communications for Cubesats without any additional body pointing.
By virtue of being liquid, the lenses sag in the presence of gravity. This causes different focusing powers across the surface of the lens, creating an aberration called coma. We are looking at investigating if this coma aberration goes away in the absence of gravity, and if there are any changes in the focusing power.