Session
Technical Session III: Advanced Technologies II
Abstract
High spatial resolution imagery and large apertures go hand in hand but small satellite volume constraints place a direct limit on monolithic aperture mirror systems. Deployable optical systems hold promise of overcoming aperture size constraints and greatly enhancing small satellite imaging capabilities. The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) is currently researching deployable optics suitable for small spacecraft and has developed a passively aligned deployable mirror. The team recently built a proof-of-principle mirror and a single parabolic mirror segment or “petal” measured for deployment repeatability. They measured elevation (tilt) and azimuth (tip) angular alignment repeatability to be 0.6 arcseconds or 2.9 μrad (1 sigma) in each axis after a ten deployment sequence. The SDL team used optical modeling to study the effects of these alignment errors on a multiple petal parabolic primary mirror part of a Cassegrain imaging system. The model indicates that excellent image quality is possible in the short wave infrared (SWIR) to long wave infrared (LWIR) bands. Work continues on a four segment deployable primary mirror with an aperture diameter of 152 mm. The goal is to fabricate the mirror segments and demonstrate repeatable interferometric wavefront error measurements.
Presentation Slides
Deployable Mirror for Enhanced Imagery Suitable for Small Satellite Applications
High spatial resolution imagery and large apertures go hand in hand but small satellite volume constraints place a direct limit on monolithic aperture mirror systems. Deployable optical systems hold promise of overcoming aperture size constraints and greatly enhancing small satellite imaging capabilities. The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) is currently researching deployable optics suitable for small spacecraft and has developed a passively aligned deployable mirror. The team recently built a proof-of-principle mirror and a single parabolic mirror segment or “petal” measured for deployment repeatability. They measured elevation (tilt) and azimuth (tip) angular alignment repeatability to be 0.6 arcseconds or 2.9 μrad (1 sigma) in each axis after a ten deployment sequence. The SDL team used optical modeling to study the effects of these alignment errors on a multiple petal parabolic primary mirror part of a Cassegrain imaging system. The model indicates that excellent image quality is possible in the short wave infrared (SWIR) to long wave infrared (LWIR) bands. Work continues on a four segment deployable primary mirror with an aperture diameter of 152 mm. The goal is to fabricate the mirror segments and demonstrate repeatable interferometric wavefront error measurements.
