Engineering topics

Mehalick, Kimberly

Publications and source records attributed to Mehalick, Kimberly.

3 records

NASA NTRS2010

An Update on the Role of Systems Modeling in the Design and Verification of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Web Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope scheduled for launch in 2014. System-level verification of critical performance requirements will rely on integrated observatory models that predict the wavefront error accurately enough to verify that allocated top-level wavefront error of 150 nm root-mean-squared (rms) through to the wave-front sensor focal plane is met. The assembled models themselves are complex and require the insight of technical experts to assess their ability to meet their objectives. This paper describes the systems engineering and modeling approach used on the JWST through the detailed design phase.

Muheim, Danniella↗

NASA NTRS2010

Systems Engineering on the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Web Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope scheduled for launch in 2014. System-level verification of critical performance requirements will rely on integrated observatory models that predict the wavefront error accurately enough to verify that allocated top-level wavefront error of 150 nm root-mean-squared (rms) through to the wave-front sensor focal plane is met. This paper describes the systems engineering approach used on the JWST through the detailed design phase.

Menzel, Michael T.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Optical Metrology for the Filter Set for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) will employ a wide variety of spectral filtration components including narrow band, medium band, wide band, and far ultraviolet (FUV) long pass filters, spatially- variable filters (ramp filters), VIS/IR polarizers, NUV polarizers, FUV prisms, and a grism. These components are spread across ACS's Wide Field, High Resolution, and Solar Blind channels which provide diffraction-limited imaging of astronomical targets using aberration-correcting optics which remove most aberrations from HST's Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA). In order for ACS to be truly advanced, these filters must push the state-of-the-art in performance in a number of key areas at the same time. Important requirements which these filters must meet include outstanding transmitted wavefront, high transmittance, uniform transmittance across each filter, spectrally structure-free bandpasses, exceptionally high out of band rejection, and a high degree of parfocality. These constitute a very stringent set of requirements indeed, especially for filters which are up to 90 mm in diameter. The development of optical metrology stations used to demonstrate that each ACS filter will meet its design specifications is discussed. Of particular note are specially-designed spectral transmissometers and interferometers.

Leviton, Douglas B.↗