Maintaining a stable and high quality laser wavefront is pivotal for efficient laser communications in deep space networks. In this presentation, we describe the design and expected optical and structural performance of the afocal beam expanding telescope for the NASA DSOC mission. This 22 cm aperture, 11x magnification telescope must survive the stresses of launch and maintain alignment through solar illumination, laser irradiance, thermal transients, and temperature extremes during the DSOC mission life from Earth to Mars. Structural-Thermal-OPtical (STOP) analysis predict very stable downlink wavefront error (< 122 nm RMS) and beam divergence (< 14.5 microradians). Furthermore, we present additional telescope link loss contributions that will be minimized through particulate contamination control, high spectral throughput, and polarization purity. Successful performance of this telescope will support NASA’s ongoing efforts to extended high data rate communications into deep space.
L-3 Integrated Optical Systems/SSG designed and built the telescope, aft imager, and scanner for the Widefield Infrared
Survey Explorer (WISE) under subcontract to Utah State University/Space Dynamics Laboratory. The WISE mission
and collection scheme imparted several driving requirements on the telescope and scanner, including the need for low
cost implementation, <11 Kelvin operation, and the need to back-scan by half a degree during detector integration in
order to freeze the line of sight on the sky as the spacecraft pitched in orbit. These requirements led to several unique
design and implementation choices for the telescope and scanner. In this paper we highlight several of those design
choices as well as lessons learned from the telescope and scanner design, fabrication, and test. WISE, a NASA MIDEX
mission within the Explorers program, was managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. WISE launched on December
14, 2009 and is currently operating successfully.
On December 14, 2009 NASA launched the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), a NASA MIDEX mission
within the Explorers program that is currently performing an all-sky survey in four infrared bands. L-3 Integrated
Optical Systems/SSG designed, built, and tested the telescope, scanner, and aft imaging optical system for WISE under
contract to the Space Dynamics Laboratory. Hardware and test results for those subsystems are presented, as well as an
on-orbit status of their imaging performance. The WISE payload includes a 40 cm afocal telescope, a scan mirror for
back-scan during integration, and an aft optics imager assembly. All modules operate below 17 Kelvin. The allreflective
system uses aluminum mirrors and metering structures. The afocal telescope provides distortion control to
better than two parts in a thousand to prevent image blur during internal scanning. The one-axis scan mirror at the exit
pupil scans the detectors' field-of-view across the telescope field-of-regard, countering the orbital motion and freezing
the line of sight during the multi-second exposure period. The five-mirror imaging optics module follows the scan
mirror and feeds dichroic beamsplitters that separate the energy into four channels between 2.8 and 26 microns. Once
initial on-orbit checkout and calibration was completed, WISE began a 6-month mission performing an all-sky survey in
the four infrared bands, which is over 80% complete as of June 2010.
The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) instrument includes a cryogenic telescope, scanner, and imaging optics module that provides four channels of infrared imaging between 2.8 and 26 microns. The telescope is a 40 cm aperture reflecting five-mirror imager/collimator relay that provides 8X demagnification, a 47 x 86 arcminute field of regard, and a real exit pupil for scanning. It also provides distortion control to better than one part in a thousand to prevent image blur during internal scanning. A one-axis scan mirror at the exit pupil scans the detectors' field-of-view across the telescope field-of-regard, countering the orbital motion and freezing the line of sight during the multi-second exposure period. The imaging optics module is a five-mirror re-imager with dichroic beamsplitters that separate the energy into four channels. All modules operate below 17 Kelvin. The all-reflective system uses aluminum mirrors and metering structures. The scanner is a derivative of the SPIRIT III scanner flown previously. WISE has been selected by NASA for Phase B design.
Every space-borne optical system has a unique set of requirements and challenges. In the end, all need to achieve a delicate balance of performance, cost, and schedule to be successful. Principal to achieving this goal is the correct selection of the mirror materials from among a variety of common options: glass, aluminum, beryllium, and silicon carbide. Many engineering disciplines -- optical, mechanical, thermal, and materials -- are required to design an optical system. The intent of this paper is to describe the strengths and limitations of each mirror material from the perspective of an optical systems engineer, who must balance all disciplines in order to select the best material combination for a specific application. Several topics are discussed, including: (1) Mechanical and thermal figures of merit; (2) stability and design considerations (K/α, ΔL/L, and cryogenic test data); (3) fabrication issues: schedules, relative costs, achievable figures, and finishes; and (4) stray light rejection and achievable BRDF's. Data is presented from many recent projects in support of these topics.
An overview of silicon carbide (SiC) materials is provided, focusing on the optical properties required for space-based earth observing applications. NASA’s SiC Advanced Land Imager (ALI), produced by SSGPO and flown under the New Millennium Program, is described in order to illustrate the suitability of SiC to provide high-quality optics for these critical applications. The manufacturing processes used to produce SiC optics are described and recent improvements in the surface figure, surface finish, and stray light performance associated with SiC optics are reported. The two critical optical properties associated with the ALI instrument are surface figure and Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF). In the results reported here, we demonstrate the ability to exceed these requirements by an order of magnitude using mature and repeatable processes.
The 10.6 (mu) bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the SPIRIT III primary mirror was measured after each major phase of sensor development and testing. The compiled BRDF history provides useful insights with respect to the cleanliness levels that may be reasonably expected for a cryogenic infrared sensor of this size and complexity. The use of nitrogen blow-off was demonstrated as an effective, low-risk option for `touching-up' critical infrared optics. The BRDF measured before integration with the MSX spacecraft was consistent with the scatter that would be produced by a surface cleanliness of near Level 100. Follow-on BRDF measurements will not be possible, since the SPIRIT III sensor will remain cold and under vacuum throughout spacecraft processing. An internal cryogenic quartz crystal microbalance has been used to monitor molecular redistribution processes that may occur when internal temperatures change during cryogen refills of other cryo-vacuum operations. The CQCM data is easily understood, and will provide a valuable diagnostic during pre-launch processing of the SPIRIT III cryostat.
This paper documents the development of the SPIRIT III telescope from the design through its test activities. The SPIRIT III Instrument is the primary infrared instrument on the Mid-Course Space Experiment (MSX). The telescope is an all reflective optical system consisting of twelve mirrors. The nominal collecting apertures is 14 inches. It was designed and built to integrate with a multicolor radiometer and a Michelson interferometer built by the Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University. Key performance features are discussed, and measured test data is presented. The structural/thermal trade-off issues of a satellite-based cryogenic instrument are presented along with a review of the test techniques and test equipment.
Ned Wheeler, Donald Smith, D. Dean, Harold Gardiner, James Gibson, Jack Griffin, Stephan Price, Richard Nadile, Lynne Bates, Gail Bingham, Kent Johnson, James Guregian, Robert Benoit
Efforts to reduce or eliminate contamination and off-axis leakage for the Cryogenic Infrared Radiance Instrument for the Shuttle (CIRRIS) 1A program flown on STS-39 are examined. The question of whether the Space Shuttle is a viable platform for space measurements is addressed. Mission restrictions and system precautions are reviewed. Results obtained are compared to the current models and previous data. The data show how telescope leakage and/or contamination effects can dominate the minimum signal floor and place a limit on the weakest signal that can be measured when these undesired elements are present. The Space Shuttle is found to be an acceptable platform for high-sensitivity earthlimb background and celestial measurements if prudent clean procedures are followed. Acceptable mirror bidirection reflectance distribution function can be monitored over a considerable period of time if the sensor has been pumped for a considerable period of time and careful handling procedures are followed.
Chemglaze Z306 flat black polyurethane paint on Chemglaze 9922 epoxy primer is the most predominantly used optically black coating on the MSX spacecraft. All MSX surfaces painted with Chemglaze Z306/9922 were baked at 90 - 100 degree(s)C under high vacuum to reduce the potential outgassing during ground operations and on-orbit. Analytical measurements have been performed to verify the bakeout efficiency, identify the outgassing products, and assist in quantitative predictions of on-orbit outgassing rates and their effects. The bakeout of the SPIRIT III telescope main baffle was monitored using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and residual gas analyzers. The apparent outgassing rates of organic species decreased significantly during the bakeout. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and FTIR analyses of cold trap samples collected at intervals during the bakeout were conducted in order to identify the outgassing species. The outgassing products at 100 degree(s)C of individual samples of G-10 fiberglass epoxy and Chemglaze Z306/9922 were analyzed using GC/MS to determine the source of the various species observed during the bakeout of the baffle. These analyses provide baseline data which will assist in the interpretation of contamination measurements (QCM, witness mirror film accumulations, and residual gas analyses) to be performed during SPIRIT III sensor integration and test.
The contamination control of telescopes with the straylight-rejection capability is reviewed to identify the degradative effects of contaminant phenomena on the measurements. Three levels of optical contamination are discussed including bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), point-source rejection ratio (PSRR), and nonrejected earth radiance (NRER). Measurements of degradation to low-scatter surfaces are set forth for the Zip telescope during storage and for the Cirris 1A telescope performance. PSRR measurements indicate that the Cirris 1A degraded by a factor of 15 during ground testing. A portable external BRDF station is described that measured cryogenic BRDF and BRDF degradation over the life of the Cirris 1A telescope. The optical contamination measurement described are concluded to be important to both determining the causes of degradation and optimizing telescope performance.
The efficacy of pulsed CO2 lasers is demonstrated for remote removal of contaminants from cryogenic, low-scatter mirrors in a simulated space environment. A gold-overcoated, nickel-coated aluminum mirror was housed in a vacuum dewar and cooled to either 90 K with liquid nitrogen or 34 K with liquid-helium cryogen. Admitting a controlled leak of room-air contaminated the mirror. Bidirectionl reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements at 3, 6, and 9 deg monitored the amount of contamination on the mirror. Upon contamination, the mirror BRDF generally increased by an order of magnitude or more. Using an x-y scanner to raster a pulsed CO2-laser beam across the face of the mirror, successful cleaning of sizable areas (25 sq cm) of the mirror was demonstrated at both temperatures. In all cases the laser-cleaning technique returned the BRDF of the mirror to precontamination levels and showed no evidence for contaminant redeposition within the cleaned area.
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