Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Lowman, A. E..
Large space optical systems will require on-orbit wavefront sensing and control systems to correct misalignments and figure errors incurred during manufacture, launch and deployment.
In this paper, we present the experimental validation of a focus-diverse wavefront sensing algorithm with comparative interferometric measurments of a perturbed test mirror.
The NGST Phase Retrieval Camera (PRC) is a portable wavefront sensor useful for optical testing in high-vibration environments. Primary applications of the PRC are testing and experimenting with NGST technology demonstrator mirrors, along with exploring other wavefront sensing and control problems not easily studied using WCT. An overview of the hardware and testing results will be presented.
This presentation will detail the packaging and hardware chosen for the PRC, the PRC software, and calibration of the instrument.
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The Next Generation Space Telescope will provide more than ten times the collecting area of the Hubble Space Telescope in a package that fits into the shroud of an expendable launch vehicle. This paper illustrates the operation and performance expected for initial telescope alignment, segment phasing, and fine figure control for the NGST yardstick design.