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NASA NTRS2006

MEMS Microshutter Arrays for James Webb Space Telescope

MEMS microshutter arrays are being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use as an aperture array for a Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NirSpec). The instruments will be carried on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the next generation of space telescope after Hubble Space Telescope retires. The microshutter arrays are designed for the selective transmission of light with high efficiency and high contrast, Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 100x200 microns. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. Light shields are made on to each shutter for light leak prevention so to enhance optical contrast, Shutters are actuated magnetically, latched and addressed electrostatically. The shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS technologies.

Li, Mary J.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Hubble Space Telescope Briefing: HST Science Overview

This NASA Kennedy Space Center video release presents a broad overview of the science that is now possible as a result of the servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Dr. Ed Weiler (HST Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters), Dr. Dave Leckrone (HST, Senior Project Scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)), Dr. John Trauger (Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) Principal Investigator, Jet Propulsion Lab. (JPL)), Dr. Chris Burrows (WFPC2 Co-Investigator, Space Telescope Science Inst.(STSci)-European Space Agency (ESA), Jim Crocker ((Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement) COSTAR Team Leader, STSci), Dr. Holland Ford (COSTAR Project Scientist, Johns Hopkins Univ., STSci), and Dr. Duccio Machetto (European Space Agency (ESA)) give brief presentations, which feature images of stars and galaxies taken from the ground, from WFPC1 (prior to the servicing mission), and from WFPC2 (after the servicing mission). The main theme of the discussions center around the spherical aberration that was found in the images prior to servicing and the corrected images seen without the aberration following servicing. A question and answer period rounds out the press conference, with questions posed from scientific journalists at GSFC and other NASA centers.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2012

Update on Multi-Variable Parametric Cost Models for Ground and Space Telescopes

Parametric cost models can be used by designers and project managers to perform relative cost comparisons between major architectural cost drivers and allow high-level design trades; enable cost-benefit analysis for technology development investment; and, provide a basis for estimating total project cost between related concepts. This paper reports on recent revisions and improvements to our ground telescope cost model and refinements of our understanding of space telescope cost models. One interesting observation is that while space telescopes are 50X to 100X more expensive than ground telescopes, their respective scaling relationships are similar. Another interesting speculation is that the role of technology development may be different between ground and space telescopes. For ground telescopes, the data indicates that technology development tends to reduce cost by approximately 50% every 20 years. But for space telescopes, there appears to be no such cost reduction because we do not tend to re-fly similar systems. Thus, instead of reducing cost, 20 years of technology development may be required to enable a doubling of space telescope capability. Other findings include: mass should not be used to estimate cost; spacecraft and science instrument costs account for approximately 50% of total mission cost; and, integration and testing accounts for only about 10% of total mission cost.

Stahl, H. Philip↗

NASA NTRS1987

An overview of the Hubble Space Telescope command and data management system

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) will be an orbiting observatory which will extend the capability of large earth-based observatories to view the universe by approximately 350 times in volume and approximately seven times in distance. The HST program, which includes the Orbiting Observatory, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and the Space Telescope Operations Control Center, is supported by the Space Shuttle, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, and the NASA Communications Network. This paper describes the Command and Data Management System for the HST spacecraft, including flexibility, operation modes, and end-to-end data flow paths used to meet stringent synchronization and data quality requirements. The results of system tests indicate that the use of concatenated coding techiques consisting of both block and convolutional codes as a protection against random and burst errors has been successful. Diagrams of the HST data system are included.

Clubb, Jerry↗

NASA NTRS2009

The James Webb Space Telescope: Mission Overview and Status

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the infrared successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. It is a cryogenic infrared space observatory with a 25 sq. m aperture (6 m telescope yielding diffraction limited angular resolution at a wavelength of 2 micron. The science instrument payload includes three passively cooled near-infrared instruments providing broad- and narrow-band imagery, coronagraphy, as well as multi object and integral-field spectroscopy over the 0.6 < 0 < 5.0 micron spectrum. An actively cooled mid-infrared instrument provides broad-band imagery, coronagraphy, and integral-field spectroscopy over the 5.0 < 0 < 29 micron spectrum. The JWST is being developed by NASA, in partnership with the European and Canadian Space Agencies, as a general user facility with science observations to be proposed by the international astronomical community in a manner similar to the Hubble Space Telescope. Technology development and mission design are complete, and construction is underway in all areas of the program. The JWST is on schedule to reach launch readiness during 2014.

Greenhouse, Matthew A.↗

NASA NTRS2019

The James Webb Space Telescope: Mission Overview and Status

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the scientific successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. It is a cryogenic infrared space observatory with a 25 m2 aperture (6 m class) telescope that will achieve diffraction limited angular resolution at a wavelength of 2 um. The science instrument payload includes four passively cooled near-infrared instruments providing broad- and narrow-band imagery, coronography, as well as multi-object and integral-field spectroscopy over the 0.6 < λ < 5.0 µm spectrum. An actively cooled mid-infrared instrument provides broad-band imagery, coronography, and integral-field spectroscopy over the 5.0 < λ < 29 µm spectrum. The JWST is being developed by NASA, in partnership with the European and Canadian Space Agencies, as a general user facility with science observations proposed by the international astronomical community in a manner similar to the Hubble Space Telescope. Technology development and mission design are complete. Construction, integration and verification testing is underway in all areas of the program. The JWST is on schedule for launch during 2021.

Greenhouse, Matthew↗

NASA NTRS2011

The James Webb Space Telescope: Mission Overview and Status

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the Infrared successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. It is a cryogenic infrared space observatory with a 25 sq m aperture (6 m class) telescope yielding diffraction limited angular resolution at a wave1ength of 2 micron. The science instrument payload includes three passively cooled near-infrared instruments providing broad- and narrow-band imagery, coronagraphy, as well as multi-object and integral-field spectroscopy over the 0.6 <lambda < 5.0 micron spectrum. An actively cooled mid-infrared instrument provides broad-band imagery, coronagraphy, and integral-field spectroscopy over the 5.0 < lambda < 29 micron spectrum. The JWST is being developed by NASA, in partnership with the European and Canadian Space Agencies, as a general user facility with science observations to be proposed by the international astronomical community in a manner similar to the Hubble Space Telescope. Technology development and mission design are complete, and construction is underway in all areas of the program.

Greenhouse, Matthew A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Space Telescope pointing control

The Space Telescope, a long life, high performance spacecraft deployed by the Space Shuttle, will carry five scientific instruments on its first mission. Its pointing control system will permit target-to-target maneuvering and precision pointing on a target star to support scientific objectives. Spacecraft attitude control is achieved by onboard computer processing of attitude and rate sensor data to generate reaction wheel torque commands. A momentum management control system is provided to desaturate the reaction wheels. This paper discusses the pointing control system and the control hardware investigations and improvements leading to system design.

Dougherty, H.↗

NASA NTRS2009

The James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is the successor to Hubble and will be launched into space in 2013. It is not only bigger than Hubble, but is cooled to 225 degrees below zero Centigrade in order to detect the infrared light, or heat radiation, from distant stars and galaxies. I will discuss how Webb's scientific discoveries will take us beyond Hubble, and describe some of the recent progress we have made in its construction.

Gardner, Jonathan↗

NASA NTRS2018

On-Orbit Results and Lessons Learned from the ASTERIA Space Telescope Mission

The Arcsecond Space Telescope Enabling Research in Astrophysics (ASTERIA) was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 20 November 2017, beginning a technology demonstration and opportunistic science mission to advance the state of the art in nanosatellite performance for astrophysical observations. The goal of ASTERIA is to achieve arcsecond-level line-of-sight pointing error and highly stable focal plane temperature control. These capabilities enable precision photometry—i.e. the careful measurement of stellar brightness over time—which in turn allows investigation of astrophysical phenomena such as transiting exoplanets. By the end of the 90-day prime mission, ASTERIA had achieved line-of-sight pointing stability of approximately 0.5 arcseconds root mean square (RMS) over 20-minute observations, pointing repeatability of 1 milliarcsecond RMS from one observation to the next, and focal plane temperature stability better than ±0.01 K over 20-minute observations. This paper presents an overview of the ASTERIA flight and ground system, summarizes the pre-delivery test campaign, and discusses the on-orbit performance obtained by the pointing and thermal control subsystems. We also describe the process for planning opportunistic science observations and present lessons learned from development and operations. Having successfully operated for over 200 days as of this writing, ASTERIA is currently in an extended mission to observe nearby bright stars for transiting exoplanets.

Seager, Sara↗

NASA NTRS2021

The Origins Space Telescope: Baseline Mission Concept

The Origins Space Telescope will trace the history of our origins from the time dust and heavy elements permanently altered the cosmic landscape to present-day life. How did galaxies evolve from the earliest galactic systems to those found in the Universe today? How do habitable planets form? How common are life-bearing worlds? To answer these alluring questions, Origins will operate atmid- and far-infrared (IR) wavelengths and offer powerful spectroscopic instruments and sensitivity three orders of magnitude better than that of the Herschel Space Observatory, the largest telescope flown in space to date. We describe the baseline concept for Origins recommended to the 2020 US Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The baseline design includes a 5.9-m diameter telescope cryocooled to 4.5 K and equipped with three scientific instruments. A mid-infrared instrument (Mid-Infrared Spectrometer and Camera Transit spectrometer) will measure the spectra of transiting exoplanets in the 2.8 to 20 μm wavelength range and offer unprecedented spectrophotometric precision, enabling definitive exoplanet biosignature detections. The far-IR imager polarimeter will be able to survey thousands of square degrees with broadband imaging at 50 and 250 μm. The Origins Survey Spectrometer will cover wavelengths from 25 to 588 μm, making wide-area and deep spectroscopic surveys with spectral resolving power R ∼ 300, and pointed observations at R ∼ 40;000 and 300,000 with selectable instrument modes. Origins was designed to minimize complexity. The architecture is similar to that of the Spitzer Space Telescope and requires very few deployments after launch, while the cryothermal system design leverages James Webb Space Telescope technology and experience. A combination of current-state-of-the-art cryocoolers and next-generation detector technology will enable Origins’ natural background-limited sensitivity.

David Leisawitz↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Prism Assembly for Roman Space Telescope Wide Field Instrument Slit-less Spectroscopy

The Roman Space Telescope (RST) is a three mirror anastigmat design with a 2.4 m primary mirror. RST will be based in L2 orbit, from where it will provide science information on exoplanets and dark energy using the Coronagraph Instrument (CGI) and Wide Field Instrument (WFI). The WFI features a 300 megapixel near-infrared detector array which provides a field of view 100 times larger than that of Hubble Space Telescope. The Prism Assembly is a small add-on instrument to the Roman Space Telescope’s Wide Field Instrument (WFI), installed in a slot in WFI’s element wheel. The Prism assembly has a passband from 0.75 µm to 1.8 µm, enabling a survey of redshifts in the range 0.2 to 1.7 µm. It provides low resolution slit-less spectroscopy with a spectral resolution R > 70 for all wavelengths, and R < 170 for λ > 0.8 µm across the full field. The Prism Assembly has the potential to provide more supernova spectra than ground-based spectroscopy during the mission lifetime. Being a late add-on to the RST mission, the Prism Assembly has had restrictions on size, weight and geometry, and a challenging schedule, which has dictated much of the implementation. Despite these challenges, the Prism Assembly is a pocket-sized high-performance spectrographic element, implemented as a refractive, all-spherical optical design using only two elements, one S-TIH-1 glass and one CaF2. This presentation will give an overview of the Prism Assembly, from design and implementation, through alignment, test and calibration. (100 words): The Roman Space Telescope is a three mirror anastigmat design with a 2.4 m primary mirror, which will provide science information on dark energy and exoplanets. The Prism Assembly is a small add-on instrument to the telescope’s Wide Field Instrument, enabling low resolution slit-less spectroscopy with a spectral resolution 70 < R < 170 across the full field from λ= 0.75 µm to 1.8 µm. The Prism Assembly is a refractive, all-spherical optical design using a glass and a CaF2 element. This presentation will give an overview of the Prism Assembly, from design and implementation, through alignment, test and calibration.

Space Instrumentation↗

NASA NTRS1988

Space telescope pointing control

The Space Telescope pointing control system is designed to meet the fine pointing performance of 0.007 arc-sec stability, maneuver the telescope 90 deg in 18 min, or less, and provide the capability for deployment from, and retrieval by, the space shuttle. The pointing control system objectives are met using fine guidance sensors for attitude information, reaction wheel assemblies sized to provide both the torque required for pointing, and magnetometers and magnetic torquers for momentum management. A digital computer is used to calculate the control law, attitude reference, momentum management law, and command generator. The command generator shapes the acceleration and incremental angle commands to the control system to limit structural mode excitation. The control techniques are briefly discussed.

Dougherty, Hugh↗

NASA NTRS2014

A New Large Vibration Test Facility Concept for the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope consists of three main components, the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) Element, the Optical Telescope Element (OTE), and the Spacecraft Element. The ISIM and OTE are being assembled at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Spaceflight Center (GSFC). The combined OTE and ISIM Elements, called OTIS, will undergo sine vibration testing before leaving Goddard. OTIS is the largest payload ever tested at Goddard and the existing GSFC vibration facilities are incapable of performing a sine vibration test of the OTIS payload. As a result, a new large vibration test facility is being designed. The new facility will consist of a vertical system with a guided head expander and a horizontal system with a hydrostatic slip table. The project is currently in the final design phase with installation to begin in early 2015 and the facility is expected to be operational by late 2015. This paper will describe the unique requirements for a new large vibration test facility and present the selected final design concepts.

test facilities↗

NASA NTRS2014

A New Large Vibration Test Facility Concept for the James Webb Space Telescope

vibration↗

NASA NTRS1990

Hubble Space Telescope

An overview of the mission of the Hubble Space Telescope, a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency which will be used to study deep space, as well as our solar system is presented. The video contains animations depicting the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit, as well as footage of scientists at the Space Telescope Science Institute making real time observations. The images Hubble acquires will be downloaded into a database that contains images of over 19,000,000 celestial objects called the Star Catalog.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2014

Optical Testing of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter primary mirror, working to a 2018 launch date. Ground testing for the JWST will occur in two test campaigns, at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center. The talk describes the JWST and its optical ground testing, highlighting the roles of many of the University of Rochester Institute of Optics' alumni as well as current faculty and students.

James Webb Telescope↗

NASA NTRS2012

Operations Concept for Moving Target Observations with the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will provide breakthrough capabilities for the study of Solar System objects. JWST is a large aperture, cryogenic, infrared-optimized, general purpose space observatory under construction by NASA, ESA, and CSA for launch in 2018. The JWST instrumentation will provide imaging. coronagraphy, and spectroscopy between 6000A to 29 microns. This spectral region contains many atomic, molecular, and particulate diagnostics that are especially relevant for the study of gaseous, rocky and icy bodies in the Solar System. This talk describes the concept for observations of moving targets, including the system design for acquiring and tracking guide stars to hold the science target fIxed in the instrument field of view.

Sonneborne, George↗