Session
Weekday Session 3: Science/Mission Payloads
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The NASA Pioneers Program is tasked with performing compelling astrophysics science at lower cost, with smaller hardware, compared to Explorers Program missions. The Pandora SmallSat was selected as an inaugural Pioneers mission. Pandora uses an aluminum, 45-cm, dual channel Cassegrain telescope as its scientific instrument. The instrument will obtain the first dataset of simultaneous, multiband, long-baseline observations of exoplanets and their host stars. The goal is to use these data to reliably characterize planetary atmospheres by disentagling star and planet signals in transmission spectra.
Early in project formulation, the Pandora team developed a suite of high-fidelity parametrized simulation and modeling tools to estimate the performance of both imaging channels. This enabled a unique bottoms-up approach to deriving system requirements. This approach, while unconventional for aerospace missions, enabled synergies between previously disparate existing technologies and capabilities throughout the mission. Pandora heavily leverages existing capabilities that required no to low amounts of engineering development, as well as firm-fixed-price contracts, to stay within the constraints of a Pioneers class mission. Pandora will disrupt the cost-schedule paradigm of half-meter class observatories. The team is preparing for its Critical Design Review in October 2023. Launch to sun-synchronous low earth orbit is anticipated in early 2025.
The Pandora SmallSat: Mission Overview
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The NASA Pioneers Program is tasked with performing compelling astrophysics science at lower cost, with smaller hardware, compared to Explorers Program missions. The Pandora SmallSat was selected as an inaugural Pioneers mission. Pandora uses an aluminum, 45-cm, dual channel Cassegrain telescope as its scientific instrument. The instrument will obtain the first dataset of simultaneous, multiband, long-baseline observations of exoplanets and their host stars. The goal is to use these data to reliably characterize planetary atmospheres by disentagling star and planet signals in transmission spectra.
Early in project formulation, the Pandora team developed a suite of high-fidelity parametrized simulation and modeling tools to estimate the performance of both imaging channels. This enabled a unique bottoms-up approach to deriving system requirements. This approach, while unconventional for aerospace missions, enabled synergies between previously disparate existing technologies and capabilities throughout the mission. Pandora heavily leverages existing capabilities that required no to low amounts of engineering development, as well as firm-fixed-price contracts, to stay within the constraints of a Pioneers class mission. Pandora will disrupt the cost-schedule paradigm of half-meter class observatories. The team is preparing for its Critical Design Review in October 2023. Launch to sun-synchronous low earth orbit is anticipated in early 2025.
