Development and manufacturing of space-qualified precision optics: components, assemblies, fabrication, testing and metrology from a single source.
Astravon GmbH
10785 Berlin · GermanyNew on Amplifa
About Astravon
Astravon GmbH is a European engineering company for space-qualified optics, based at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. The company develops and manufactures high-precision optical components and custom optical systems for space, defense and scientific applications – including mirrors, lenses, aspheres, freeform optics, micro-optics, beam splitters, prisms, filters, telescopes and star tracker optics for wavelengths from UV to IR. In addition to optical design with tolerance and athermalization analysis, Astravon offers STOP analyses, thermo-elastic and opto-mechanical modeling, as well as stray-light and wavefront error analyses. Manufacturing includes high-precision polishing of aspheres, freeforms and SiC optics, magnetorheological finishing (MRF), ion beam figuring (IBF), thin-film coating for space applications, and cleanroom assembly in ISO Class 5. An in-house metrology laboratory verifies surface quality, wavefront error and spectral properties; environmental and qualification tests such as thermal-vacuum, vibration and shock testing round out the portfolio. Customers include space system primes, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, space agencies and research institutions.
- Site
- Berlin
- Processes
- Custom optical design and optimisation (lens and mirror design, system-level optical architecture,, Design of spherical, aspheric, freeform, and micro-optical designs; beam splitters, prisms,, Optical fabrication: high-precision polishing for aspheric, freeform, and SiC optical surfaces, Magnetorheological finishing (MRF), Ion beam figuring (IBF), Ultra-stable mechanical machining and component alignment, Cleanroom-based optical assembly (ISO Class 5), Thin-film deposition / optical coating for space applications
- Materials
- SiC (silicon carbide), Silicon carbide, Glass and ceramic optical substrates, Magnetorheological finishing, Ion beam figuring, Thin-film coating, CGH-assisted interferometry
- Certificates
- ECSS-aligned quality and documentation system, Traceability & configuration control, First Article Inspection (FAI) & acceptance support, ISO 9001
- Industries
- Space, Defense, Scientific imaging applications, Industrial sensor technology, Medical instrumentation, Aerospace (space system primes, Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers)
- 01
Optical consulting & feasibility studies (Phase 0/A)
- 02
Custom optical design & optimisation
- 03
Simulation & analysis (STOP, thermo-elastic, stray light, wavefront error)
- 04
Optical fabrication (high-precision polishing, MRF, IBF)
- 05
Thin-film coating for space applications
- 06
Cleanroom assembly (ISO Class 5)
- 07
Optical metrology & environmental/qualification testing
- 08
FAI, acceptance support & documentation
Materials & Processes
Silicon carbide
Ceramic substrate material for highly stable optical surfaces, among other things for space applications; machinable by high-precision polishing.
Glass and ceramic optical substrates
EU-compliant selected substrate materials for lenses, mirrors and assemblies from UV to IR.
Magnetorheological finishing
Deterministic polishing process for achieving high surface accuracy on aspheres, freeforms and SiC surfaces.
Ion beam figuring
Ion beam-based correction process for the required surface figure accuracy of space-qualified optics.
Thin-film coating
Coating processes for space applications with process control with respect to spectral performance and contamination requirements.
CGH-assisted interferometry
Metrology for verifying complex aspheric and freeform optical surfaces.
Locations
Berlin
DESite / contact address: engineering, manufacturing, metrology and sales
- Lot size
- Prototypes to series production with EU-based quality control
- Materials
- SiC, glass and ceramic optical substrates
- ISO Class 5 cleanroom environment for assembly, handling and inspection
- Thin-film coating system
- Optical metrology instruments (surface figure, interferometry, wavefront, 2D/3D profiling)
- Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) system
- Ion beam figuring (IBF) system
Components & Optics
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom optical design and optimisation (lens and mirror design, system-level optical architecture,Engineering | – | – | – | – | optical substrates (EU-compliant material selection), structural materials, SiC |
| Design of spherical, aspheric, freeform, and micro-optical designs; beam splitters, prisms,Engineering | λ/4 wavefront error (use case telescope) | – | – | – | – |
| Optical fabrication: high-precision polishing for aspheric, freeform, and SiC optical surfacesSurface | – | – | – | – | SiC, Glass/Ceramics (optical substrates) |
| Magnetorheological finishing (MRF)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ion beam figuring (IBF)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ultra-stable mechanical machining and component alignmentMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cleanroom-based optical assembly (ISO Class 5)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thin-film deposition / optical coating for space applicationsSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Optical metrology: surface accuracy, roughness, form error, wavefront error analysis, 2D/3DTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Environmental & mechanical qualification: thermal-vacuum testing, thermal cycling/shock, humidityTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Optical reverse engineeringEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rapid prototyping (optics)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Volume production with EU-based quality control (optics)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| System integration and assembly planningAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| STOP Analysis (Structural–Thermal–Optical Performance)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thermal-elastic and opto-mechanical modellingEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Stray light & contamination sensitivity analysisEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Wavefront error & image performance predictionEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Optical consultancy & feasibility studies (Phase 0/A)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality, compliance & documentation (ECSS-aligned, traceability, FAI, acceptance support)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Star tracker optics design (reflective, catadioptric, transmissive systems)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanroom environment (ISO Class 5) for optics assembly/handling/inspection | – | – | – | – | Berlin |
| Thin-film deposition coating system | – | – | – | – | Berlin |
| Optical metrology instruments (surface figure, interferometry, wavefront, 2D/3D profiling) | – | – | – | – | Berlin |
| Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) system | – | – | – | – | Berlin |
| Ion beam figuring (IBF) system | – | – | – | – | Berlin |
Additional services
Quality & Documentation
Astravon operates with an ECSS-aligned quality and compliance framework including full traceability, configuration control and audit-ready inspection and verification documentation. The company supports first article inspection (FAI) and acceptance activities; all measurements are performed with calibrated, traceable measuring equipment in its own metrology laboratory.
| Evidence | Berlin |
|---|---|
| ECSS-aligned quality and documentation system | |
| Traceability & configuration control | |
| First Article Inspection (FAI) & acceptance support | |
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 2026
Announcement of exhibition at Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen (17.–19.11.2026, Booth #2722)