MEMS deformable mirror CubeSat testbed
To meet the high contrast requirement of 1 × 10[superscript −10] to image an Earth-like planet around a Sun-like star, space telescopes equipped with coronagraphs require wavefront control systems. Deformable mirrors are a key element of these systems that correct for optical imperfections, thermal...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
SPIE
2015
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/96907 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5391-9844 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7791-5124 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7463-6007 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9005-2493 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5601-0978 |
| Summary: | To meet the high contrast requirement of 1 × 10[superscript −10] to image an Earth-like planet around a Sun-like star, space telescopes equipped with coronagraphs require wavefront control systems. Deformable mirrors are a key element of these systems that correct for optical imperfections, thermal distortions, and diffraction that would otherwise corrupt the wavefront and ruin the contrast. However, high-actuator-count MEMS deformable mirrors have yet to fly in space long enough to characterize their on-orbit performance and reduce risk by developing and operating their supporting systems. The goal of the MEMS Deformable Mirror CubeSat Testbed is to develop a CubeSat-scale demonstration of MEMS deformable mirror and wavefront sensing technology. In this paper, we consider two approaches for a MEMS deformable mirror technology demonstration payload that will fit within the mass, power, and volume constraints of a CubeSat: 1) a Michelson interferometer and 2) a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We clarify the constraints on the payload based on the resources required for supporting CubeSat subsystems drawn from subsystems that we have developed for a different CubeSat flight project. We discuss results from payload lab prototypes and their utility in defining mission requirements. |
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