16 January 2026
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Tyndall National Institute, based at University College Cork, has wrapped up a multi-year project with ESA, contributing critical expertise to the ambitious Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.
Scheduled for launch in 2035, LISA will be the first observatory of its kind to detect gravitational waves from space, revealing new insights into the most powerful events in the universe, such as pairs of black holes coming together and merging.
Tyndall’s role focused on evaluating the reliability of commercial photonic components, small but vital parts that will help power LISA’s ultra-precise laser system. These lasers will span millions of kilometres between three spacecraft flying in formation, measuring minuscule changes in distance caused by gravitational waves.
Tyndall conducted long-term reliability testing and detailed construction analysis on a wide range of active and passive photonic devices, including laser diodes, photodiodes, UV LEDs, modulators, switches, isolators, and more. Each component was assessed against ESA’s demanding space standards, with risk levels identified for their potential use in the LISA laser system.
The outcome is a comprehensive dataset that will help ESA make informed decisions about which components to use, ensuring the mission’s laser system performs as intended when deployed.
Finbarr Waldron, Principal Engineer at Tyndall, said: “This project showcases the depth of Tyndall’s expertise in photonics and reliability engineering. Space is a very unforgiving environment, and many commercial photonic components are built using materials that may not be suitable for use in space. Our task was to rigorously test and analyse these components to determine whether or not they could withstand the extreme conditions of launch and long-term operation in space.”
ENDS
Separated sections of optical isolator for construction analysis and examination of the optics. X-ray images show a closer look of the circled section, to examine faraday rotator optics.
Tyndall Senior Engineering Staff, Catriona Kenny and Finbarr Waldron, members of the project team.
About Tyndall National Institute
Tyndall is a leading European deep-tech research centre in integrated ICT (Information and Communications Technology) materials, devices, circuits and systems and a research flagship of University College Cork. Tyndall is Ireland’s largest Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) specialising in both electronics and photonics. Tyndall works with industry and academia to transform research into products in its core market areas of electronics, communications, energy, health, agri-food and the environment. With a network of over 200 industry partners and customers worldwide, Tyndall is focused on delivering human and economic impact from excellence in research. Tyndall is home to a multidisciplinary research community of over 650 people of 52 nationalities, including over 170 postgraduates