OASIS (Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems) is a space-based, MIDEX mission concept that employs a 14 meter inflatable aperture and cryogenic heterodyne receivers to perform high resolution (R<106) observations at terahertz frequencies. OASIS targets far-infrared transitions of H2O and its isotopologues, as well as HD and other molecular species from 660 to 63 μm that are otherwise obscured by the Earth’s atmosphere. OASIS will have <10x the collecting area and <4x the angular resolution of Herschel and complements the short wavelength capabilities of JWST. With its large collecting area and suite of terahertz heterodyne receivers, OASIS will have the sensitivity to follow the water trail from galaxies to oceans. OASIS represents a paradigm shift in the realization of large space apertures. Our paper will focus on how the development work for OASIS can be leveraged to realize a new generation of space telescopes.
The Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is a proposed space telescope with a 14-m inflatable primary reflector that will perform high spectral resolution observations at terahertz frequencies with heterodyne receivers. The telescope consists of an inflatable metallized polymer membrane that serves as the primary antenna, followed by aberration correction optics, and a scanner that enables a 0.1-deg field of regards while achieving diffraction-limited performance over wavelength range from 63 to 660 μm. Here, the parametric solution space of the OASIS inflatable telescope design is systematically investigated by establishing analytical relations among figure of merits including first-order geometrical photon collection area and the size of correction optics. The first-order solution was further optimized by ray-trace code by incorporating numerically calculated mirror shape with preformed membrane gores. Design study shows that a space-based telescope with an effective photon collection area of over 90 m2 can be achieved by utilizing a 14-m inflatable aperture.
The uninflated shape configurations of parabolic and spherical membrane mirrors were calculated by solving the inverse problem, i.e., given the design inflation pressure, the membrane material and geometric properties, what must be the initial uninflated shape such that on inflation to the design pressure, the exact desired surface of revolution is obtained. The resulting first order nonlinear differential equation was numerically integrated using the boundary conditions. The initial uninflated shape was then subjected to a forward transformation using FAIM, a proprietary geometric nonlinear membrane finite element code. FAIM has been validated against exact analytical solutions for both small and extremely large deformations that are up to eight orders of magnitude larger compared with the starting undeflected shape. Simulations reveal that to fabricate a very accurate and precise inflated membrane mirror relative to the design parameters, one must not only accurately measure and input the moduli in both meridional and hoop directions but an accurately measured Poisson’s ratio as well. The code was used to guide the membrane mirror design. For very small aperture diameters, the initial uninflated shape may be fabricated by thermo-forming the membrane. For aperture diameters exceeding one meter however, the membrane mirror is built with discrete gores that are joined together with tapes at the seams. This provided the impetus to write a companion computer code FLATE, to calculate the gore shapes using a slight modification of the solution to the inverse transformation equation to account for the presence of the seam tapes. After the gores were determined, the resulting final inflated shape was calculated and verified using FAIM. Sensitivity analyses can now be carried out to determine the resulting surface shape as a function of the different sources of error: gore width, gore length, perimeter attachment uncertainties, thermal effects, variation of material properties over the membrane continuum and inflation pressure changes. The code has been shown to be more robust than equivalent commercial analytical packages in so far as membrane, cable and space-frame element combinations are concerned. In particular, the analytical and finite element codes were used in the preliminary assessment of a membrane optic for the OASIS Mission (Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems) [1]. The OASIS is a 20-meter class space observatory operating at high spectral resolution in the terahertz frequencies. Over its nominal 2-year mission it will probe conditions and search for biogenic molecules on hundreds of protoplanetary disks and other solar system objects.
Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is a mission concept being developed in preparation for the 2021 MidEX Announcement of Opportunity. This paper describes the key features of the OASIS architecture as they are currently understood. OASIS’s choice of a large inflatable primary reflector results in large collection areas at very high mass efficiency enabling the science mission. We describe the spacecraft bus, based on Northrop Grumman’s LEOstar-2, and the receiver, a heritage design based on the GUSTO balloon heterodyne system. We also discuss the observing strategy and pointing requirements from its planned L1 location. Particular emphasis is placed on challenges to the design, such as momentum management, balancing consumable mass allocations, thermal management, and testing.
The Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is a 20-meter class proposed space terahertz observatory supported by an inflatable membrane architecture. To measure 150 mm and 1m models of the A1 reflective membrane antenna, two deflectometry configurations were designed. The smaller assembly and its corresponding deflectometer were simulated, built in our laboratory, and produce a reconstructable signal for clocked measurements of the highly-sloped pneumatic surface. We use non-sequential raytracing simulation to bound the maximum contributions of all shape errors and suggest the N-Rotations algorithm to remove the remaining radially asymmetric errors. Then, the 1m prototype assembly was tested inside a thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC). Differential deflectometry measurements tracked the 1m surface shape changes as it was subjected to a variety of environmental setpoints, cycled between three inflation gases, and also during controlled puncture. We summarize our development and results for absolute measurements as well as from TVAC testing.
The Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is a 17 meter class space observatory concept that will perform heterodyne and high spectral resolution observations at terahertz wavelength ranging from 81 to 659 micrometers to observe the transition of water and its isotopologues and other molecular species[1]. The baseline design, in particular with an inflatable primary antenna achieves orders of magnitude larger photon collection area >120 m2 and diffraction limited performance at field of view (FOV) of +/- 0.05 deg with a simple tip/tilt scanner and over 0.2 degrees with an advanced scanning field lens design. The THz observatory with such an inflatable primary system involves an interesting challenge in optical design. The surface shape of the inflatable primary antenna, known as Hencky surface, induces 4th or higher order deformation of reflector surface which is corrected by following 3-mirror correction optics, with a power arrangement which is similar to Offner’s null corrector optics. The same optical architecture is also applicable for more parabola like inflatable antenna shape. The diffraction limited intermediate image field is scanned by a mirror tip-tilt scanner, alternatively for a larger FOV scanning a field lens, refractive or reflective, rigidly connected to the scanning mirror is employed. The design with thin reflective field lens or all refractive design increases overall photon throughput while accommodating broad band spectral range. Along with the 1st and 3rd order optical design procedure, in this presentation, We address challenges in optical design of such a large and inflatable antenna based photon collection system in THz astronomy, including correction of aberration from a membrane antenna, and relay optics to match mode field of antenna to that of THz heterodyne detectors.
OASIS (Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems) is a space-based observatory with a large inflatable primary reflector that will perform high spectral resolution observations at terahertz frequencies. An inflatable metallized polymer membrane serves as the primary antenna with large photon collecting area, followed by aberration correction mirror pair that enables a large field of regards of 0.1 degrees while achieving diffraction limited performance over a wide terahertz wavelength ranging from 80 μm to 660 μm. An analytical model is developed to define a solution space based on the profile of primary reflector which is a function of pressure. The photon collecting area, size and weight of the correction mirror pair, and optical aberrations are governed by a 1st order power arrangement of the telescope and is a function of base radius and clear aperture of the primary reflector. Based on the parametric design study, the figure of merit for the profile of the primary reflector is discussed and a baseline design satisfying the scientific and system requirements is proposed.
The ability of space telescopes to see into nascent protostellar systems and even further into our universe is driven by the size of their deployable light collection area. While large monolithic mirrors typically weigh tons, inflatable membrane mirrors present a scalable, ultralightweight alternative. Leveraging decades of advances in adaptive optics technology, the possibility of a well-corrected 20 meter-class space observatory such as the Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is strikingly feasible. However, with great aperture size, comes great metrology requirements. Membrane reflectors are characteristically structured as one transparent and one metallized polymer membrane sealed around a steel tensioning ring. The inflated surface does not naturally conform to a known or prescribed conic but an approximate Hencky surface. Furthermore, multiple internal reflections and polarization interactions between the dielectric and metal layers disturb coherent light that probes it. A non-contact, full-aperture testing method is needed and further, one that can test highly varying membranes after thermoforming too. We present our method in obtaining the absolute shape of thermally formed, inflatable reflectors for space telescopes. Our work measures a 1-meter prototype of the OASIS primary inflatable mirror. Evolving from laser distance scanning to photogrammetry to deflectometry, our survey of metrology techniques for inflatable membrane optics is discussed.
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