Instrument and component design
We turn concepts into engineered solutions that can be built, tested and operated with confidence. Combining multidisciplinary engineering and in‑house scientific expertise, we design instruments, subsystems and components to support UK and industry participation in large-scale space missions.
Why work with us?
Drawing on decades of experience, our teams take an integrated approach across engineering, production and technical disciplines and deliver end-to-end expertise
Our instrument and component design capability is underpinned by deep in‑house engineering and scientific expertise developed through decades of delivering instruments across Earth observation, planetary science, space exploration and ground‑based projects.
Working within established quality and product assurance practices, our teams combine novel developments with proven approaches, applying our long‑standing heritage to new demanding mission scenarios.
Instrument and subsystem definition
Breaking instrument requirements down into defined engineering subsystems, our optical, mechanical, thermal, electronics and software coordinate to ensure designs work as a coherent system.
Performance-driven engineering
Experienced at developing detailed, multidisciplinary designs driven by scientific and measurement performance requirements, our teams consider competing constraints through modelling and analysis.
End-to-end considerations
We design with the full lifecycle in mind, ensuring instruments can be manufactured, integrated, tested, calibrated and operated efficiently, and that verification is achievable using available facilities.
Instrument and subsystem definition
Breaking instrument requirements down into defined engineering subsystems, our optical, mechanical, thermal, electronics and software coordinate to ensure designs work as a coherent system.
Performance-driven engineering
Experienced at developing detailed, multidisciplinary designs driven by scientific and measurement performance requirements, our teams consider competing constraints through modelling and analysis.
End-to-end considerations
We design with the full lifecycle in mind, ensuring instruments can be manufactured, integrated, tested, calibrated and operated efficiently, and that verification is achievable using available facilities.
Artists impression of MicroCarb scanning the atmosphere. Credit: CNES/Illustration Oliver Sattler 2015
Case Study Highlight
MicroCarb: Pinpointing Urban Carbon Emissions
Orbiting 650km above Earth, MicroCarb uses city-scanning technology to map CO₂ emissions across urban areas at unprecedented 2km x 2km resolution. This precision is crucial for understanding emissions from cities, which are responsible for over 70% of global CO₂ output. This capability is supported by the satellite’s Pointing and Calibration System (PCS), developed at RAL Space. This critical component steers the satellite’s view to scan specific locations, whilst maintaining the precision calibration essential for accurate measurements throughout the mission’s lifetime.
Key engineering expertise for instrument and component design
Systems Engineering
Our systems engineers bring together every part of an instrument or component, ensuring it functions as a coherent and reliable whole. They define how different elements should work together, manage the technical requirements that guide the design, and make sure each choice supports overall mission goals. Their role is central to coordination, clarity, and long‑term performance.
Key activities and experience
- Allocating requirements across optical, mechanical, thermal, electronics and software subsystems
- Managing interfaces and performance budgets while maintaining technical coherence
- Planning verification pathways and model philosophies (EM / QM / FM)
Thermal Engineering
Maintaining science performance across variable and extreme thermal environments requires early, informed thermal design. Our thermal engineering teams ensure design choices are aligned to environmental constraints and desired scientific performance, with early input shaping feasibility, testing and calibration strategies.
Key activities and experience
- Leading the thermal systems development and implementation for a diversity of science instruments
- Application of industry standard space thermal analysis software such as ESATAN-TMS
- Expertise in thermal test definition and execution, including consultation support to external organisations
- Identification of thermal implications for science performance, power and mass budget
Mechanical Engineering
Instrument performance depends on mechanical structures that preserve alignment and stability under launch and operational conditions. Mechanical Engineering defines physical layouts and interfaces that support optical and thermal performance while ensuring structural integrity throughout the mission lifecycle.
Key activities and experience
- Developing detailed mechanical layouts using iterative 3D CAD design
- Analysing structural and thermomechanical behaviour under launch and operational loads
- Preparing designs for manufacture while optimising for scientific performance
Electronics Engineering
Providing practical and reliable electronic architectures that support detectors, control systems and data handling, our electronics engineers define subsystem configurations and provide estimates of power, size, mass, and data rates to ensure instruments can operate reliably in challenging environments – such as space or remote ground-based observatories.
Key experience and skills:
- Expertise in CCD/CMOS detector electronics and custom ASIC development
- Design and implementation of microcontroller‑ and FPGA‑based digital electronics
- Use of onboard‑proven SpaceWire IP for high‑speed, reliable data transfer
- Experience with procurement and integration of high‑reliability space‑grade and military components, including ITAR‑controlled devices
Optical Systems Engineering
Over the last 30 years the team have designed and developed instruments that cover the range of wavelengths; from extreme UV through visible and infra-red to very long wave THz systems. The optical systems engineering team is well experienced in the translation of science requirements into viable optical designs that can be manufactured, aligned and verified within real mission constraints.
Key experience and skills:
- Optics design, procurements and test, in innovative /challenging new science instruments. Both in components (with optics companies) and full instruments (with academia; science teams, typically ESA missions, and as part of multi-discipline RALspace teams, esp. Mechanical, Systems and Thermal groups)
- Specialist optics analysis using industry standard commercial software tools (Zemax, ASAP), for instrument performance, to assess designs/results against science-requirements. (Includes analysis for engineering implementation, such as tolerances and component manufacture specifications. And for space applications especially in areas of structural/thermal effects on optical stability, spacecraft/flight environment effects on instrument performances, cleanliness/contamination effects on stray-light)
- Working closely with mechanical and thermal engineers to provide optics designs, working via 3D CAD designs
- Experienced in working with stringent optical challenges such as: ghost reflections, particulate scatter, surface roughness, baffle design, thermal self emission and long-wavelength diffraction effects.
Software Engineering
The software engineering teams work alongside the electronics and systems teams to ensure that the latest software design methods can be used, determine the mission requirements and analysing data products.
Key experience and skills:
- Development of flight software designs in line with ECSS standards
- Supporting integration between electronics, instruments and spacecraft systems
- Alignment of software needs with instrument and spacecraft capabilities
Learn more about RAL Space’s instrument design expertise
With a heritage spanning over six decades, RAL Space stands at the forefront of UK space engineering and production. Contact our team to learn more about how we can support you.
