SPACEOPTIX GmbH

SPACEOPTIX GmbH is a Fraunhofer IOF spin-off, founded in early 2020 in Jena, Germany, building on more than 20 years of applied research into precision optics conducted at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering. The founding team previously contributed to major European space and astronomy instrumentation programs including DESIS, EnMAP, FLEX, JUICE, RapidEye, Sentinel-2/4/5, CRIRES+, LUCI, METIS, and PEPSI before commercializing the technology.

The company specializes in the design, manufacture, integration, and testing of high-performance metal optical components and systems: mirrors and mirror systems machined directly from metals (aluminum, AlSi, gold, copper, NiP), crystals, and polymers, ranging from micro-scale to meter-class, covering wavelengths from XUV to IR. Core capabilities include 5-axis CNC machining of parts up to 650 mm, ultraprecision diamond turning, milling and ruling, magnetorheological finishing and computer-controlled polishing achieving surface roughness below 0.2 nm rms, optical and tactile metrology, and opto-mechanical assembly including telescope structures and ground support equipment.

SPACEOPTIX serves remote sensing (Earth observation optics), astronomy (cryogenic instrumentation for large telescopes), free-space and quantum communication, high-power industrial lasers, optical lithography, and scientific instrumentation markets, operating from its Jena headquarters and a dedicated production facility in Isseroda, Germany.