Metamaterials for optical and photonic applications for space

The European Space Agency (ESA) in the frame of its General Study Program (GSP) has started to investigate the opportunity of using metamaterials in space applications. In that context, ESA has initiated two GSP activities which main objectives are 1) to identify the metamaterials and associated optical properties which could be used to improve in the future the performances of optical payloads in space missions, 2) to design metamaterial based devices addressing specific needs in space applications. The range of functions for metamaterials to be investigated is wide (spectral dispersion, polarisation control, light absorption, straylight control...) and so is the required spectral range, from 0.4m to 15m. In the frame of these activities several applications have been selected and the designs of metamaterial based devices are proposed and their performances assessed by simulations.