Final design, assembly, & testing of a space-based total integrated scatter instrument

The final design, fabrication, and testing of a space-based scatterometer has been completed and will be described in this paper. The instrument, part of the Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) experiment developed for NASA by AZ Technology in Huntsville, was designed to fly for an extended period in low earth orbit to monitor the effects of the orbital environment on various materials and coatings. The scatterometer measures the Total Integrated Scatter (TIS) of various samples at wavelengths of 532 & 1064 nm. The instrument is able to distinguish between surface roughening and surface contamination and operates with an accuracy of +/-10% and a repeatability of +/-2%. The instrument is now attached to the outer hull of the MIR space station and is scheduled to operate for nine months or more before being returned to Earth.