BECCAL - Atom Optics with BECs on the ISS

Waldemar Herr

D. Latorre-Bastidas, Faruk A. Sellami, Jean Pierre Marburger +25 more

Marvin G. Warner, Jens Große, Lisa Wörner +4 more

The BECCAL (Bose-Einstein-Condensate – Cold Atom Laboratory) apparatus is a high precision quantum optics experiment which will fly on the International Space Station (ISS). It shall be constructed and operated within a bilateral collaboration between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a multi user facility, BECCAL shall satisfy the needs of both the American and German scientific community concerning cold atom physics. Various needs are expressed for the functionalities of the scientific apparatus extended by the requirements for operation of an instrument aboard the ISS. For installation into the dedicated accommodation the complex systems have to be mechanically and thermally designed to meet these requirements. Additionally BECCAL has to fit into the Size Weight and Power (SWaP) budget given by the launcher and the ISS rack. This paper gives a summary of the project BECCAL and its environment. Furthermore, the mechanical design of the system is presented. A preliminary approach for the Thermal Control System (TCS) of BECCAL is pointed out afterwards. The paper closes with a conclusion and an outlook on the future work for BECCAL.

Maike Diana Lachmann, Baptist Piest, Dennis Becker +2 more

Victoria Henderson, Jean Pierre Marburger, André Wenzlawski +31 more

We present the design of laser systems for the Bose-Einstein Condensate and Cold Atom Laboratory (BECCAL) payload, enabling numerous quantum technological experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS), in particular dual species 87 Rb and 41 K Bose-Einstein condensates. A flight model (FM) and a commercial off the shelf (COTS) based model are shown, both of which meet the BECCAL requirements in terms of functionality, but have differing size, weight and power (SWaP) and environmental requirements. The capabilities of both models are discussed and characteristics compared. The flight model of BECCAL uses specifically developed and qualified custom components to create a compact and robust system suitable for long-term remote operation onboard the ISS. This system is based on ECDL-MOPA lasers and free-space optical benches made of Zerodur, as well as commercial fibre components. The COTS-based system utilizes entirely commercial parts to create a functionally equivalent system for operation in a standard laboratory, without the strict SWaP and environmental constraints of the flight model.

Victoria Henderson, Jean Pierre Marburger, André Wenzlawski +31 more

Abstract We present the design of laser systems for the Bose-Einstein Condensate and Cold Atom Laboratory (BECCAL) payload, enabling numerous quantum technological experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS), in particular dual species 87 Rb and 41 K Bose-Einstein condensates. A flight model (FM) and a commercial off the shelf (COTS) based model are shown, both of which meet the BECCAL requirements in terms of functionality, but have differing size, weight and power (SWaP) and environmental requirements. The capabilities of both models are discussed and characteristics compared. The flight model of BECCAL uses specifically developed and qualified custom components to create a compact and robust system suitable for long-term remote operation onboard the ISS. This system is based on ECDL-MOPA lasers and free-space optical benches made of Zerodur, as well as commercial fibre components. The COTS-based system utilizes entirely commercial parts to create a functionally equivalent system for operation in a standard laboratory, without the strict SWaP and environmental constraints of the flight model.