Active pixel sensor developments for future ESA (European Space Agency) space science missions

Optical imaging sensors in space science payloads were, until now, exclusively based on CCDs due to their superior optical performance and existing successful heritage. However recent technological improvements within the CMOS world as well as the commercial market have led to Active Pixel Sensor (APS) designs offering an advantageous alternative to CCDs. Their high suitability as a detector for virtually every wavelength range of sensors promises a very significant gain in complexity, power and integration. They also offer the possibility of high radiation hardness and high-speed readout. These points have motivated the choice of APS technology for the imaging payloads of the ESA BepiColombo MPO (Mercury Planetary Orbiter). Other missions, such as Solar Orbiter, follow the same trend This paper gives an overview of the foreseen developments by ESA in that respect.