Session
Session IV: Instruments/Science I
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
We present the detailed design of a Laser Guide Star small satellite that would formation fly with a large space observatory or fly with respect to a ground telescope that use adaptive optics (AO) for wavefront sensing and control. Using the CubeSat form factor for the Laser Guide Star small satellite, we develop a 12U system to accommodate a propulsion system. The propulsion system enables the LGS satellite to formation fly near the targets in the telescope boresight and to meet mission requirements on number of targets and duration. We simulate the formation flight at L2 to assess the precision required to enable the wavefront sensing and control during observation. We describe a design reference mission (DRM) for deploying 18 Laser Guide Stars to L2 to assist the Large Ultraviolet, Optical, Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR). The L2 LGS DRM covers over 250 exoplanet target systems with 5 or more revisits to each system over a 5-year mission using eighteen 12U CubeSats. We present a design reference mission for a laser guide star satellite to geostationary orbit for use with 6.5+ meter ground telescopes with AO to look at HD 50281, HD 180617, and other near-equatorial targets. We assess simulations on the maximum level of thruster noise permitted during the observations to maintain precision formation flying with the observatories.
Design of a Space-Based Laser Guide Star Mission to Enable Ground and Space Telescope Observations of Faint Objects
Utah State University, Logan, UT
We present the detailed design of a Laser Guide Star small satellite that would formation fly with a large space observatory or fly with respect to a ground telescope that use adaptive optics (AO) for wavefront sensing and control. Using the CubeSat form factor for the Laser Guide Star small satellite, we develop a 12U system to accommodate a propulsion system. The propulsion system enables the LGS satellite to formation fly near the targets in the telescope boresight and to meet mission requirements on number of targets and duration. We simulate the formation flight at L2 to assess the precision required to enable the wavefront sensing and control during observation. We describe a design reference mission (DRM) for deploying 18 Laser Guide Stars to L2 to assist the Large Ultraviolet, Optical, Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR). The L2 LGS DRM covers over 250 exoplanet target systems with 5 or more revisits to each system over a 5-year mission using eighteen 12U CubeSats. We present a design reference mission for a laser guide star satellite to geostationary orbit for use with 6.5+ meter ground telescopes with AO to look at HD 50281, HD 180617, and other near-equatorial targets. We assess simulations on the maximum level of thruster noise permitted during the observations to maintain precision formation flying with the observatories.
