CubeSpec is an ESA in-orbit-demonstration mission, based on a 6U CubeSat, targeting high-resolution astronomical spectroscopy. It is developed and funded in Belgium and scheduled for launch at the end of 2024. The CubeSpec payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope with a rectangular aperture (186x82mm2 ) and a prism cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph. The telescope aperture almost completely covers the surface area of 2 CubeSat units and the entire optical system fits in 4 units (10x20x20cm) of the spacecraft. CubeSpec delivers a spectral resolution of R=55000 and covers the wavelength range from 420 to 620 nm. Furthermore, it is equipped with a fine-guidance system based on a fast beam-steering mirror and a fine-guidance sensor that provide accurate centering of the source image on the spectrograph slit to compensate for spacecraft pointing jitter. In this contribution, we present the optical design of the CubeSpec payload.
CubeSpec is an in-orbit CubeSat mission aiming to demonstrate high-spectral-resolution astronomical spectroscopy with a 10 × 20cm2 aperture telescope. A robust calibration system is crucial for CubeSpec’s spectrograph to operate reliably and autonomously. Typically, flat-field illumination defines order locations, while a line source ties wavelength values to detector pixels. The main challenge is to fit everything into a 10 × 10 × 20cm3 volume without forfeiting quality and control. This work proposes Calibration Unit for CUbespec (CUCU). CUCU offers a compact, energy-efficient calibration solution for space-borne spectrograph platforms, miniaturizing both calibration stages. A blue and white LED coupled into one fiber produce the continuum light source, spanning the spectrograph’s operational range of 420nm to 620nm. The line standards emerge from injecting collimated LED light into a solid Fabry-P´erot etalon. To satisfy the mission requirements, CUCU should deliver calibration exposures with an SNR of 200. Throughput measurements estimate calibration exposures to take no longer than 0.5s.
CubeSpec is an in-orbit demonstration CubeSat mission in the ESA technology programme, developed and funded in Belgium. The goal of the mission is to demonstrate high-spectral-resolution astronomical spectroscopy from a 6-unit CubeSat. The technological challenges are numerous. The telescope and echelle spectrometer have been designed to fit in a 10×10×20cm volume. The fast telescope focus and spectrometer alignment is achieved via an athermal design. Shielding from the Sun and Earth infrared flux is achieved via deploying Earth and Sun shades. Arcsecond-level pointing stability is achieved using a performant 3-axis wheel stabilised attitude control system with star tracker augmented with a fine beam steering mechanism. CubeSpec is now starting the implementation phase, with a planned launch in 2024. A qualification and a flight model will be constructed and tested in the next 2 years. In this contribution we will give an overview of the mission, its technologies and qualification status.
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