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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS2004

An Overview of the Performance of the Chandra X-ray Observatory

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the X-ray component of NASA's Great Observatory Program which includes the recently launched Spitzer Infrared Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) for observations in the visible, and the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) which, after providing years of useful data has reentered the atmosphere. All these facilities provide, or provided, scientific data to the international astronomical community in response to peer-reviewed proposals for their use. The Chandra X-ray Observatory was the result of the efforts of many academic, commercial, and government organizations primarily in the United States but also in Europe. NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) manages the Project and provides Project Science; Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST - formerly TRW) served as prime contractor responsible for providing the spacecraft, the telescope, and assembling and testing the Observatory; and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) provides technical support and is responsible for ground operations including the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC). Telescope and instrument teams at SAO, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Pennsylvania State University (PSU), the Space Research Institute of the Netherlands (SRON), the Max-Planck Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), and the University of Kiel support also provide technical support to the Chandra Project. We present here a detailed description of the hardware, its on-orbit performance, and a brief overview of some of the remarkable discoveries that illustrate that performance.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Mechanical Overview of the International X-Ray Observatory

The International X-ray Observatory (IXO) is a new collaboration between NASA, ESA, and JAXA which is under study for launch in 2020. IXO will be a large 6600 kilogram Great Observatory-class mission which will build upon the legacies of the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories. It combines elements from NASA's Constellation-X program and ESA's XEUS program. The observatory will have a 20-25 meter focal length, which necessitates the use of a deployable instrument module. Currently the project is actively trading configurations and layouts of the various instruments and spacecraft components. This paper will provide a snapshot of the latest observatory configuration under consideration and summarize the observatory from the mechanical engineering perspective.

Robinson, David W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Sofia Observatory Performance and Characterization

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has recently concluded a set of engineering flights for Observatory performance evaluation. These in-flight opportunities have been viewed as a first comprehensive assessment of the Observatory's performance and will be used to address the development activity that is planned for 2012, as well as to identify additional Observatory upgrades. A series of 8 SOFIA Characterization And Integration (SCAI) flights have been conducted from June to December 2011. The HIPO science instrument in conjunction with the DSI Super Fast Diagnostic Camera (SFDC) have been used to evaluate pointing stability, including the image motion due to rigid-body and flexible-body telescope modes as well as possible aero-optical image motion. We report on recent improvements in pointing stability by using an Active Mass Damper system installed on Telescope Assembly. Measurements and characterization of the shear layer and cavity seeing, as well as image quality evaluation as a function of wavelength have been performed using the HIPO+FLITECAM Science Instrument configuration (FLIPO). A number of additional tests and measurements have targeted basic Observatory capabilities and requirements including, but not limited to, pointing accuracy, chopper evaluation and imager sensitivity. SCAI activities included in-flight partial Science Instrument commissioning prior to the use of the instruments as measuring engines. This paper reports on the data collected during the SCAI flights and presents current SOFIA Observatory performance and characterization.

Temi, Pasquale↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Observatory Implementation and Challenges

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman) is a deep space infrared observatory with a Hubble-sized telescope and wide field of regard with a boresight view greater than 200 times that of the Hubble Wide Field Camera 3infrared field of view, that will conduct a suite of science surveys to characterize dark energy and expand the census of exoplanets in our galaxy. Roman will also demonstrate exoplanet coronagraphy with active wavefront control technology and provide general investigator opportunities for the science community. Roman is finishing the critical design phase and is planning for launch in 2026. It will operate at the second Sun-Earth-Moon Lagrange for a five-year primary mission life. The Observatory features a telescope with an existing, repurposed 2.4m primary mirror, a Wide Field Instrument with a near-infrared detector focal plane array and optical elements for imaging and spectroscopy, as well as a Coronagraph instrument technology demonstration for direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanets. The telescope and instruments are mounted to an Instrument Carrier for optical metering and isolation from Spacecraft-induced disturbances. The Spacecraft includes a Bus, Solar Array Sunshield, Deployable Aperture Cover, Outer Barrel Assembly, and Star Tracker/Inertial Reference Unit Bench. When fully integrated, Roman will be the largest Observatory assembled and tested at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The development of scientific satellites is challenging and pushes engineering boundaries to broaden scientific knowledge. The Roman mission implementation is a prime example and expected challenges have been amplified by the foundational decision to use existing, repurposed telescope components. Other unique aspects of the Roman mission, including its survey nature, large data volume, and Observatory packaging, create constrained design spaces that drive competing requirements across Observatory subsystems. Given these challenges, systems engineering has been a critical discipline in balancing implementation decisions and will continue to play a key role in the development of the Roman mission. This paper will discuss details of the Roman Observatory configuration, systems engineering challenges and the decision-making process used to mature the Roman Space Telescope from preliminary design to implementation.

Lisa M L Bartusek↗
NASA NTRS2016

Providing Comprehensive and Consistent Access to Astronomical Observatory Archive Data: The NASA Archive Model

Since the turn of the millennium a constant concern of astronomical archives have begun providing data to the public through standardized protocols unifying data from disparate physical sources and wavebands across the electromagnetic spectrum into an astronomical virtual observatory (VO). In October 2014, NASA began support for the NASA Astronomical Virtual Observatories (NAVO) program to coordinate the efforts of NASA astronomy archives in providing data to users through implementation of protocols agreed within the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). A major goal of the NAVO collaboration has been to step back from a piecemeal implementation of IVOA standards and define what the appropriate presence for the US and NASA astronomy archives in the VO should be. This includes evaluating what optional capabilities in the standards need to be supported, the specific versions of standards that should be used, and returning feedback to the IVOA, to support modifications as needed. We discuss a standard archive model developed by the NAVO for data archive presence in the virtual observatory built upon a consistent framework of standards defined by the IVOA. Our standard model provides for discovery of resources through the VO registries, access to observation and object data, downloads of image and spectral data and general access to archival datasets. It defines specific protocol versions, minimum capabilities, and all dependencies. The model will evolve as the capabilities of the virtual observatory and needs of the community change.

Virtual observatory; data archives; standards; IVO↗
NASA NTRS1989

Design of a Lunar Farside Observatory

The design of a mantendable lunar farside observatory and science base is presented. A farside observatory will allow high accuracy astronomical observations, as well as the opportunity to perform geological and low gravity studies on the Moon. The requirements of the observatory and its support facilities are determined, and a preliminary timeline for the project development is presented. The primary areas of investigation include observatory equipment, communications, habitation, and surface operations. Each area was investigated to determine the available options, and each option was evaluated to determine the advantages and disadvantages. The options selected for incorporation into the design of the farside base are presented. The observatory equipment deemed most suitable for placement on the lunar farside consist of large optical and radio arrays and seismic equipment. A communications system consisting of a temporary satellite about the L sub 2 libration point and followed by a satellite at the stable L sub 5 libration point was selected. A space station common module was found to be the most practical option for housing the astronauts at the base. Finally, a support system based upon robotic construction vehicles and the use of lunar materials was determined to be a necessary component of the base.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1990

Summary of interference measurements at selected radio observatories

Results are presented from a series of RF interference (RFI) observations conducted during 1989 and 1990 at selected radio astronomy observatories in order to choose a site for the SETI, where the local and orbital RFI would be as benign as possible for observations of weak electromagnetic signals. These observatories included the DSS13 at Goldstone (California), the Arecibo Observatory (Puerto Rico), the Algonquin Radio Observatory in Ottawa (Canada), the Ohio State University Radio Observatory in Columbus (Ohio), and the NRAO in Green Bank (West Virginia). The observations characterize the RFI environment at these sites from 1 to 10 GHz, using radio astronomy antennas, feeds, and receivers; SETI signal processors; and stand-alone equipment built specifically for this purpose. The results served as part of the basis for the selection (by the NASA SETI Microwave Observing Project) of NRAO as the site of choice for SETI observations.

Tarter, Jill C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Phase A: System concept description

Infrared astronomers have made significant discoveries using the NASA/Ames Research Center C-141 Kuiper airborne Observatory (KAO) with its 0.91-meter telescope. The need for a 3-meter class airborne observatory has been established to improve astronomy data gathering capability. The new system envisioned by NASA and the international community of astronomers will be known as the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The platform of choice for SOFIA is a modified Boeing 747SP. SOFIA is viewed as a logical progression from the KAO. Potentially, a 3-meter telescope operating at the altitude achievable by the 747SP aircraft can be 11 times more sensitive than the KAO, can have 3.3 times better angular resolution, and will allow observations of compact sources in a volume of space up to 36 times that of the KAO. The KAO has enabled detection of about 15 percent of the far infrared IRAS survey point-sources; SOFIA should be able to detect them all. This document presents the results of in-house ARC and contracted concept definition studies for SOFIA. Using the ARC-based Kuiper Airborne Observatory as a basis for both SOFIA design and operations concepts, the SOFIA system concept has been developed with a view toward demonstrating mission and technical feasibility, and preparing preliminary cost estimates. The reference concept developed is not intended to represent final design, and should be treated accordingly. The most important products of this study, other than demonstration of system feasibility, are the understanding of system trade-offs and the development of confidence in the technology base that exists to move forward with a program leading to implementation of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1998

NASA'S Great Observatories

Why are space observatories important? The answer concerns twinkling stars in the night sky. To reach telescopes on Earth, light from distant objects has to penetrate Earth's atmosphere. Although the sky may look clear, the gases that make up our atmosphere cause problems for astronomers. These gases absorb the majority of radiation emanating from celestial bodies so that it never reaches the astronomer's telescope. Radiation that does make it to the surface is distorted by pockets of warm and cool air, causing the twinkling effect. In spite of advanced computer enhancement, the images finally seen by astronomers are incomplete. NASA, in conjunction with other countries' space agencies, commercial companies, and the international community, has built observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory to find the answers to numerous questions about the universe. With the capabilities the Space Shuttle provides, scientist now have the means for deploying these observatories from the Shuttle's cargo bay directly into orbit.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2000

The CHANDRA X-Ray Observatory: Thermal Design, Verification, and Early Orbit Experience

The CHANDRA X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF), one of NASA's "Great Observatories" was launched aboard the Shuttle in July 1999. CHANDRA comprises a grazing-incidence X-ray telescope of unprecedented focal-length, collecting area and angular resolution -- better than two orders of magnitude improvement in imaging performance over any previous soft X-ray (0.1-10 keV) mission. Two focal-plane instruments, one with a 150 K passively-cooled detector, provide celestial X-ray images and spectra. Thermal control of CHANDRA includes active systems for the telescope mirror and environment and the optical bench, and largely passive systems for the focal plans instruments. Performance testing of these thermal control systems required 1-1/2 years at increasing levels of integration, culminating in thermal-balance testing of the fully-configured observatory during the summer of 1998. This paper outlines details of thermal design tradeoffs and methods for both the Observatory and the two focal-plane instruments, the thermal verification philosophy of the Chandra program (what to test and at what level), and summarizes the results of the instrument, optical system and observatory testing.

Boyd, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Synchrotron Radiation from Outer Space and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory

The universe provides numerous extremely interesting astrophysical sources of synchrotron X radiation. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and other X-ray missions provide powerful probes of these and other cosmic X-ray sources. Chandra is the X-ray component of NASA's Great Observatory Program which also includes the Hubble Space telescope, the Spitzer Infrared Telescope Facility, and the now defunct Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory provides the best angular resolution (sub-arcsecond) of any previous, current, or planned (for the foreseeable near future) space-based X-ray instrumentation. We present here a brief overview of the technical capability of this X-Ray observatory and some of the remarkable discoveries involving cosmic synchrotron sources.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Role of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Observations for the Study of Ionized Plasmas

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory, launched in 1999, is now beginning its 12-th year of operation. Chandra, the X-ray component of NASA s Great Observatory program, continues to operate efficiently, somewhat remarkable considering that the Observatory was designed for three years of operation with a goal of five. The Observatory features X-ray optics with sub-arcsecond angular resolution and a small suite of instruments, including transmission gratings, which allow for high-resolution spectroscopy of point sources. We will detail the capabilities of the Observatory for making such spectroscopic measurements and discuss a number of examples of what has been learned about the astrophysical plasmas capable of producing bright X-ray emission.

Weisskopf, Martin C.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Design Limit Loads and Verification Approach for the TESS Observatory

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a NASA Explorer mission. The TESS Observatory is scheduled to launch on Falcon 9 in April 2018. This presentation covers the process used to define and update design limit loads for the observatory, instrument, and components throughout the life of the program. The limit loads that drove the need for a SoftRide isolation system are highlighted. The testing performed to qualify the observatory for launch loads at the instrument and observatory level is also detailed. In addition, exchanges with the launch vehicle provider in terms of loads predictions and hardware for test are discussed along with the associated issues encountered and lessons learned. The loads development and verification success on TESS was a team effort. Orbital ATK is the spacecraft provider, NASA GSFC provides project management and technical oversight, the instrument is managed by MIT Kavli Institute and the instrument cameras are built and tested by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Since the instrument was designed in parallel with the spacecraft, the instrument design limit loads were developed in partnership with NASA and the instrument team. The three teams collaborated on a regular basis starting in the early design phase and continuing through observatory level testing.

Limit Loads↗
NASA NTRS2019

Lynx X-ray Observatory

X-ray observations are indispensable for understanding the cosmos. Their power is immense because much of the baryonic matter and the sites for the most active energy releases in the Universe are primarily observable in X-rays. For the 2030s and beyond, an X-ray observatory with power matching the capabilities in other wavebands is a necessary discovery engine for full exploration of the Universe. JWST and other upcoming major space- and ground-based facilities are expected to greatly expand science frontiers in the coming decades. is presents both a great opportunity and a challenge for a next-generation X-ray observatory. In many areas, such as tracing black holes during the CosmicDawn and understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies, an X-ray observatory is the logical next step. e challenge is that the X-ray science at these new frontiers requires expansion of capabilities by orders of magnitude beyond the current state of the art or anything already planned. Until recently, such gains were not technologically possible. is has changed thanks to recent breakthroughs and sustained maturation of key technologies for X-ray mirrors and detectors. We are reaping the fruits of U.S. investments in these areas over the past 10–15 years. An X-ray observatory that can extend the science frontiers of the post-JWST era is now entirely feasible. Lynx is the mission concept that realizes this vision. It will y revolutionary optics and instrumentation onboard a simple, proven spacecraft. In all aspects, Lynx will be a next-generation Great Observatory that is certain to make a profound impact across the astrophysical landscape. It will provide the depth and breadth to answer the fundamental questions that confront us today; just as importantly, it will have capabilities to address questions we have yet to even ask.

Gaskin, Jessica A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Tracking Critical Thermal Metrics throughout the Life Cycle of a Large Observatory Thermal Model

Observatory thermal models for large, complex missions, such as the Wide Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) mission, produce an immense amount of data to be processed. Configuration management of the model throughout the project life cycle has mainly focused on which versions of the subsystem models form the current observatory level configuration. However, the results produced by the model are not nearly as well tracked and traceable. Given the various states of design maturity for each of the components in the WFIRST design, an updated component model is nearly ready to be integrated at the next higher level of assembly about every month or two. With each subsystem model delivery, the observatory model needs to remove the old component, integrate the new one, execute the model, and inspect the results. Usually, this inspection focuses primarily on the newly integrated component. Recently, a Metric Tracking Spreadsheet was developed to help provide a “big picture” view of the entire observatory highlighting key parameters critical to mission performance. This spreadsheet helps track impacts on subsystems by updates of other subsystems that were not intuitively obvious. Metrics tracked include: absorbed environmental loading (to determine effectiveness of sunshield), temperatures of critical avionics, electrical dissipations, heater power predictions, stability of critical optics, parasitic heat leaks in cryogenic region, high level heat flows between elements, and model run time. Producing this data for the same operational configuration with each model update has helped produce a trail of data to evaluate the impact of model updates. While the metrics selected are specific for WFIRST, other large, complex observatories could be well served to establish their own metrics early in the project life cycle to track to quickly assess the impact of any subsystem on other subsystems or the overall system itself.

Thermal Desktop↗
NASA NTRS2020

Assembly and Integration Process of the High-Density Detector Array Readout Modules for the Simons Observatory

The Simons Observatory will measure the cosmic microwave background tempera-ture and polarization using a suite of new telescopes in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The Simons Observatory will use dichroic transition edge sensor (TES) bolometer arrays spanning six frequency bands from 27 to 280 GHz. The Simons Observa-tory will pioneer the use of a densely packed multiplexing architecture based on the microwave SQUID multiplexer ( 𝜇mux), housing ∼2000 microwave resonators, each coupled to a TES. The Simons Observatory aims to multiplex each array of ∼2000 detectors with a single pair of coaxial cables and requires a multiplexing factor of ∼1000 . The Simons Observatory cryogenic readout system is called the universal microwave multiplexing module (UMM). The UMM couples to both horn and lenslet-coupled detector arrays and is integrated into the universal focal-plane module (UFM) after being independently characterized. We present processes we have developed for highly repeatable and automated integration methods of UMMs, which will be needed for the production of the 49 UFMs required for the first stage of the Simons Observatory.

CMB↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory Data Preview 1

We present Rubin Data Preview 1 (DP1), the first data from the National Science Foundation–Department of Energy Vera C. Rubin Observatory, comprising raw and calibrated single-epoch images, coadds, difference images, detection catalogs, and ancillary data products. DP1 is based on 1792 optical–near-infrared exposures acquired over 48 distinct nights by the Rubin Commissioning Camera (LSSTComCam) on the Simonyi Survey Telescope at the Summit Facility on Cerro Pachón, Chile in late 2024. DP1 covers ∼15 deg 2 distributed across seven roughly equal-sized noncontiguous fields, each independently observed in six broad photometric bands, ugrizy. The median FWHM of the point-spread function across all bands is approximately 1"14, with the sharpest images reaching about 0." 58. The 5σ point-source depths for coadded images in the deepest field, the Extended Chandra Deep Field South, are u = 24.55, g = 26.18, r = 25.96, i = 25.71, z = 25.07, and y = 23.1. Other fields are no more than 2.2 mag shallower in any band, where they have nonzero coverage. DP1 contains approximately 2.3 million distinct astrophysical objects, of which 1.6 million are extended in at least one band in coadds, and 431 solar system objects, of which 93 are new discoveries. DP1 is approximately 3.5 TB in size and is available to Vera C. Rubin Observatory data rights holders via the Rubin Science Platform, a cloud-based environment for the analysis of petascale astronomical data. While small compared to future LSST releases, its high quality and diversity of data support a broad range of early science investigations ahead of full operations in 2026.

Ground-based astronomy↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Picometer-level metrology of test articles on the road to Habitable Worlds Observatory

The Habitable Worlds Observatory will revolutionize our understanding of the universe by directly detecting biosignatures on extrasolar planets and allow us to answer the question if we are alone in the universe. To accomplish the tight science goals associated with this mission, the development of an ultrastable observatory with a coronagraphic instrument is necessary. The observatory itself may need to stay stable on the order of 10 picometers over a wavefront control cycle, orders of magnitude more stable than what is required on current space missions. The metrology to verify stability requirements must be roughly a factor of ten more stable. The ultrastable laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has further stabilized its testbed to allow for dynamic measurements on diffuse and specular objects on the order of single picometers, and we are currently measuring drifts on the orders of tens of picometers over different temporal bands. This paper will discuss the mechanical updates to the testbed setup, the analysis performed on several test articles, and the path forward on the road to measuring achieving the required stability for Habitable Worlds Observatory.

Inteferometry↗