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This paper describes the design and performance of a brassboard astrometric beam combiner. The beam combiner was developed as part of the JPL Interferometry Technology Program (ITP). The purpose of this program is to test out design concepts in hardware that will eventually be used for the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM).
The Space Interferometry Mission Planet QuestLite (SIM-Lite) is a new mission concept to perform microarcsecond narrow-angle astrometry to search approximately 50 nearby stars for Earth-like planets, and also to perform a global astrometry. The SIM-Lite consists of two Michelson interferometers and one telescope. The main six-meter baseline science interferometer observes a target star and a set of reference stars. The four-meter baseline interferometer (Guide-1) monitors the attitude of the instrument in the direction of a target star. A new Guide-2telescope (G2T) tracks a bright star to monitor the attitude of the instrument in the other two orthogonal directions. In the current mission concept, the G2T consists of a 30 cm siderostat and a 30 cm confocal telescope, similar to other four telescopes used in the science and Guide-1interferometers. A testbed has been built to demonstrate the G2T feasibility for SIM-Lite mission. Recent results show that field-independent, star-tracking capability of the system is less than 30 (mu)as after the SIM narrow angle analysis.
This paper summarizes two very different strategies envisioned for calibrating the systematic field dependent biases present in the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) instrument. The Internal Calibration strategy is based on pre-launch measurements combined with a set of on orbit measurements generated by a source internal to the instrument. The External Calibration strategy uses stars as an external source for generating the calibration function. Both approaches demand a significant amount of innovation given that SIM's calibration strategy requires a post-calibration error of 100picometers over a 15 degree field of regard while the uncalibrated instrument introduces 10's-100's of nanometers of error. The calibration strategies are discussed in the context of the Wide Angle Astrometric mode of the instrument, although variations on the Internal Calibration Strategy may be used for doing Narrow Angle Astrometry.
A second-harmonic generator (SHG) serves as the source of the visible laser beam in an onboard calibration scheme for NASA's planned Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), which requires an infrared laser beam and a visible laser beam coherent with the infrared laser beam. The SHG includes quasi-phase-matched waveguides made of MgO-doped, periodically poled lithium niobate, pigtailed with polarization- maintaining optical fibers. Frequency doubling by use of such waveguides affords the required combination of coherence and sufficient conversion efficiency for the intended application. The spatial period of the poling is designed to obtain quasi-phase- matching at a nominal middle excitation wavelength of 1,319.28 nm. The SHG is designed to operate at a warm bias (ambient temperature between 20 and 25 C) that would be maintained in its cooler environment by use of electric heaters; the heater power would be adjusted to regulate the temperature precisely and thereby maintain the required precision of the spatial period. At the state of development at the time of this reporting, the SHG had been packaged and subjected to most of its planned space-qualification tests.
We present an overview of Space Interferometry Mission with a particular attention to its metrology subsystem.
This paper addresses the issues of the System Engineering processes and validation of performance specifications. It also describes the current status of the SIM Reference System Design.
This paper describes the MAM optical setup, the alignment process, the current data and how the performance relates to SIM.
We investigate how the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be able to meet its instrument astrometric pointing requirements.
We investigate how the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be able to meet some of its instrument astrometrics requirements.
Global astrometry is the measurement of stellar positions and motions. These are typically characterized by five parameters, including two position parameters, two proper motion parameters, and parallax. The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will derive these parameters for a grid of approximately 1300 stars covering the celestial sphere to an accuracy of approximately 4uas, representing a two orders of magnitude improvement over the most precise current star catalogues. Narrow angle astrometry will be performed to a 1uas accuracy. A wealth of scientific information will be obtained from these accurate measurements encompassing many aspects of both galactic (and extragalactic science. SIM will be subject to a number of instrument errors that can potentially degrade performance. Many of these errors are systematic in that they are relatively static and repeatable with respect to the time frame and direction of the observation. This paper and its companion define the modeling of the, contributing factors to these errors and the analysis of how they impact SIM's ability to perform astrometric science.
A study of hybrid material couples using the Spiral Orbit Tribometer (SOT) was initiated to investigate both lubricated (Pennzane X2000 and Brayco 815Z) and unlubricated Si3N4, 440C SS, Rex 20, Cronidur X30 and X40 plates with Cerbec SN-101-C (Si3N4) and 440C balls. The hybrid wheel/bearing assembly will be used on the Linear Optical Delay Line (LODL) stage as an element of the NASA Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). SIM is an orbiting interferometer linking a pair of telescopes within the spacecraft and, by using an interferometry technique and several precision optical stages, is able to measure the motions of known stars much better than current ground or space based systems. This measurement will provide the data to "infer" the existence of any plants, undetectable by other methods, orbiting these known stars.
This slide presentation reviews the use of the a reduced cost version of the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), called SIM "Lite" to detect potential planets that are earth like around about 60 of the nearest stars.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and James Web Space Telescope (JWST) need stable, reliable distance metrology with subnanometer accuracy.
The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology (MAM) team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has developed a precision phasemeter for the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). The current version of the phasemeter is well-suited for picometer accuracy distance measurements and tracks at speeds up to 50 cm/sec, when coupled to SIM's 1.3 micron wavelength heterodyne laser metrology gauges. Since the phasemeter is implemented with industry standard FPGA chips, other accuracy/speed trade-off points can be programmed for applications such as metrology for earth-based long-baseline astronomical interferometry (planet finding), and industrial applications such as translation stage and machine tool positioning. The phasemeter is a standard VME module, supports 6 metrology gauges, a 128 MHz clock, has programmable hardware averaging, and a maximum range of 232 cycles (2000 meters at 1.3 microns).
The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) is designed as a space-based optical interferometer operating in the visible waveband. This mission will open up many areas of astrophysics, via astrometry with unprecedented accuracy during its 5-year mission.
The Space Interferometry Mission, slated to launch in 2008, will require simultaneous operation of tens of control loops running at kiloHertz rates. The task of designing a computer control system to run this complex, distributed system will require careful requirements analysis and design flow.