title: Testing of a femtosecond pulse laser in outer space.
abstract: We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space. The fibre-based ultrashort pulse laser payload was designed to meet space-use requirements, undergone through ground qualification tests and finally launched into a low-earth orbit early in 2013. Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through although the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power. This successful test operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere in the near future.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea [2] [3].
authors.forename: Joohyung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea [2].
authors.forename: Keunwoo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Heesuk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seongheum
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea [2] Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-In
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chul-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim