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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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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Assessment of the Atmospheric Channel for Short (Ka-Band and Optical) Wavelengths

Atmospheric turbulence under clear sky conditions is an impairment of the atmospheric channel that greatly affects propagation of optical signal in the troposphere. The turbulence manifests itself in a number of forms within the optical domain, from the twinkling of a star in a clear night, to resolution degradation in a large aperture telescope. Therefore, a body of analytical, numerical, and experimental tools has been developed in optics to study, simulate, and control effects of atmospheric turbulence on an optical signal. Incidentally, there has been an increasing demand for high data rate returns from NASA missions which has led to envision utilizing a carrier signal in the Ka-Band range. The impact of atmospheric turbulence effects must be evaluated and considered for this frequency domain. The purpose of this work is to show that when the turbulence strength from the optical case to the KaBand ease is properly scaled, one can apply the same mathematical simulation developed for optical to predict turbulence effects within the Ka-Band domain. As a demonstration of this principle, we present how the scintillations of a Ka-Band downlink return of a deep space signal was successfully reproduced through wave-optics simulation.

optical communications↗
NASA NTRS1991

The featureless continua and hydrogen lines of Seyfert 2 galaxies

Optical and ultraviolet spectra taken in similar sized large apertures for 15 Seyfert 2 galaxies are presented. Measurements of emission-line strengths of Ly-alpha, H-alpha, and H-beta are used together with measurements of the ultraviolet slopes to estimate the ratio of recombination photons to ionizing photons. The photon ratios indicate that the ionizing continuum is being emitted anisotropically for at least six of the eight objects with UV slope measurements. The median value of the UV slope is indistinguishable from the UV slope of Seyfert 1 galaxies. This result suggests that in the occultation/reflection picture of Seyfert nuclei, the reflecting particles are free electrons and not dust. Previous observations of variability in Mrk 477 are verified, and it is shown that this galaxy exhibits characteristics of both Seyfert 1 and Seyfert 2 galaxies.

Kinney, A. L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Design and performance analysis of a PIAACMC coronagraph on a segmented aperture

The Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Complex Mask Coronagraph (PIAACMC) offers high throughput and small inner working angle (IWA) for direct imaging of exoplanets. PIAACMC is also compatible with segmented apertures, which is important for the success of future large telescopes, such as the Large UV / Optical/ Infrared (LUVOIR) concept currently under way to inform NASA's2020 decadal survey. We present a design of PIAACMC for one of the segmented apertures considered for LUVOIR and simulate its performance with wavefront control, in monochromatic as well as broadband light. We characterize its performance in terms of throughput, inner working angle, contrast, area of the dark zone, and sensitivity to low order aberrations, in particular tip/tilt. In addition, we study the resilience to large stellar angular sizes and polarization. Finally, we compute the "performance map", which is a recently introduced figure of merit for coronagraphs

Exoplanets↗
NASA NTRS2013

ISS-based Development of Elements and Operations for Robotic Assembly of A Space Solar Power Collector

We present a concept for an ISS-based optical system assembly demonstration designed to advance technologies related to future large in-space optical facilities deployment, including space solar power collectors and large-aperture astronomy telescopes. The large solar power collector problem is not unlike the large astronomical telescope problem, but at least conceptually it should be easier in principle, given the tolerances involved. We strive in this application to leverage heavily the work done on the NASA Optical Testbed Integration on ISS Experiment (OpTIIX) effort to erect a 1.5 m imaging telescope on the International Space Station (ISS). Specifically, we examine a robotic assembly sequence for constructing a large (meter diameter) slightly aspheric or spherical primary reflector, comprised of hexagonal mirror segments affixed to a lightweight rigidizing backplane structure. This approach, together with a structured robot assembler, will be shown to be scalable to the area and areal densities required for large-scale solar concentrator arrays.

astronomy↗
NASA NTRS2013

Large-aperture Wide-bandwidth Antireflection-coated Silicon Lenses for Millimeter Wavelengths

The increasing scale of cryogenic detector arrays for submillimeter and millimeter wavelength astrophysics has led to the need for large aperture, high index of refraction, low loss, cryogenic refracting optics. Silicon with n 3.4, low loss, and high thermal conductivity is a nearly optimal material for these purposes but requires an antireflection (AR) coating with broad bandwidth, low loss, low reflectance, and a matched coefficient of thermal expansion. We present an AR coating for curved silicon optics comprised of subwavelength features cut into the lens surface with a custom three-axis silicon dicing saw. These features constitute a metamaterial that behaves as a simple dielectric coating.We have fabricated silicon lenses as large as 33.4 cm in diameter with micromachined layers optimized for use between 125 and 165 GHz. Our design reduces average reflections to a few tenths of a percent for angles of incidence up to 30deg with low cross polarization.We describe the design, tolerance, manufacture, and measurements of these coatings and present measurements of the optical properties of silicon at millimeter wavelengths at cryogenic and room temperatures. This coating and lens fabrication approach is applicable from centimeter to submillimeter wavelengths and can be used to fabricate coatings with greater than octave bandwidth.

thermal expansion↗
NASA NTRS2013

Large-Aperture Wide-Bandwidth Anti-Reflection-Coated Silicon Lenses for Millimeter Wavelengths

The increasing scale of cryogenic detector arrays for sub-millimeter and millimeter wavelength astrophysics has led to the need for large aperture, high index of refraction, low loss, cryogenic refracting optics. Silicon with n = 3.4, low loss, and relatively high thermal conductivity is a nearly optimal material for these purposes, but requires an antireflection (AR) coating with broad bandwidth, low loss, low reflectance, and a matched coffecient of thermal expansion. We present an AR coating for curved silicon optics comprised of subwavelength features cut into the lens surface with a custom three axis silicon dicing saw. These features constitute a metamaterial that behaves as a simple dielectric coating. We have fabricated and coated silicon lenses as large as 33.4 cm in diameter with coatings optimized for use between 125-165 GHz. Our design reduces average reflections to a few tenths of a percent for angles of incidence up to 30 deg. with low cross-polarization. We describe the design, tolerance, manufacture, and measurements of these coatings and present measurements of the optical properties of silicon at millimeter wavelengths at cryogenic and room temperatures. This coating and lens fabrication approach is applicable from centimeter to sub-millimeter wavelengths and can be used to fabricate coatings with greater than octave bandwidth.

millimeter wavelength astrophysics↗
NASA NTRS1992

Prospects for imaging and astrometry on the ground and implications for space interferometry

The potential imaging performance of large telescopes using adaptive optics with laser guide stars, and of interferometers using laser phased subapertures are considered. The potential astrometric performance from the ground is also discussed. For each case the implications for a space interferometry mission are considered. The advantages of the space environment for optical and infrared astronomical interferometry are: transparency at all wavelength bands, no atmospheric turbulence, and the ability to cool optics for observation in the thermal infrared. However, ground based interferometry also has important advantages: the availability of large apertures and long baselines and generally lower costs. While transparency and thermal emission are fundamental, adaptive optics aided by laser guide stars shows promise to eliminate some of the effects of turbulence for ground based imaging. Other techniques such as phase referencing and closure phase can also be used to circumvent some of the effects of atmospheric turbulence. While it is a long step from the theoretical performance predictions for a ground based instrument to their attainment, a future space imaging interferometer must emphasize those capabilities which are impossible or at least very difficult from the ground: UV observations, very high dynamic range measurements, or high resolution measurements of faint, extended objects. The case for space astrometry is more clear: while ground interferometry can offer high accuracies over very small fields, a space interferometer can offer more than two orders of magnitude better performance over wide fields than that achievable with groundbased systems.

Colavita, M. Mark↗
NASA NTRS2011

Pupil Alignment Considerations for Large, Deployable Space Telescopes

For many optical systems the properties and alignment of the internal apertures and pupils are not critical or controlled with high precision during optical system design, fabrication or assembly. In wide angle imaging systems, for instance, the entrance pupil position and orientation is typically unconstrained and varies over the system s field of view in order to optimize image quality. Aperture tolerances usually do not receive the same amount of scrutiny as optical surface aberrations or throughput characteristics because performance degradation is typically graceful with misalignment, generally only causing a slight reduction in system sensitivity due to vignetting. But for a large deployable space-based observatory like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we have found that pupil alignment is a key parameter. For in addition to vignetting, JWST pupil errors cause uncertainty in the wavefront sensing process that is used to construct the observatory on-orbit. Furthermore they also open stray light paths that degrade the science return from some of the telescope s instrument channels. In response to these consequences, we have developed several pupil measurement techniques for the cryogenic vacuum test where JWST science instrument pupil alignment is verified. These approaches use pupil alignment references within the JWST science instruments; pupil imaging lenses in three science instrument channels; and unique pupil characterization features in the optical test equipment. This will allow us to verify and crosscheck the lateral pupil alignment of the JWST science instruments to approximately 1-2% of their pupil diameters.

Bos, Brent J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Star-formation rates and forbidden O II emission in blue galaxies

Observations of forbidden O II 3727 A and H-beta emission-line strengths are presented from large-aperture spectrophotometric observations of nearby (z less than 0.1) optically blue galaxies covering a wide range in surface brightness and luminosity. The forbidden O II emission-line equivalent widths in these galaxies primarily lie between 30 and 100 A. Emission-line strengths in nearby blue galaxies thus resemble those found in faint galaxies at moderate-to-high redshifts. The most actively star-forming nearby galaxies are characterized by surface brightness in the forbidden O II line of about 10 to the -15th to 10 to the -14th ergs/s per sq cm per sq arcsec over spatial distances of more than 1 kpc. The fluxes of the forbidden O II and H-beta emission lines are well correlated, and thus forbidden O II luminosities can be used to derive approximate star-formation rates in blue galaxies.

Gallagher, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Optical Amplifier for Space Applications

We describe an open multipass optical amplifier designed to amplify a sampled region of an optical wavefront to kilowatt average power with low optical phase distortion. The overall goal is to amplify optical fields in a segmented, but phase coherent manner, so as to achieve high average power optical fields with high quality phase coherence over the large apertures needed for transmission of space solar power.

Fork, Richard L.↗
NASA NTRS2010

A Near-Infrared Spectrometer to Measure Zodiacal Light Absorption Spectrum

We have developed a high throughput infrared spectrometer for zodiacal light fraunhofer lines measurements. The instrument is based on a cryogenic dual silicon Fabry-Perot etalon which is designed to achieve high signal to noise Fraunhofer line profile measurements. Very large aperture silicon Fabry-Perot etalons and fast camera optics make these measurements possible. The results of the absorption line profile measurements will provide a model free measure of the zodiacal Light intensity in the near infrared. The knowledge of the zodiacal light brightness is crucial for accurate subtraction of zodiacal light foreground for accurate measure of the extragalactic background light after the subtraction of zodiacal light foreground. We present the final design of the instrument and the first results of its performance.

Kutyrev, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

High-power microwave optics for flexible power transmission systems

A large concave microwave mirror near the transmitter can magnify the apparent size of the Earth as seen from a phased array, and vice versa, permitting a small phased array to be coupled to a small rectenna while preserving the transmission efficiency (the reflection loss is slight) and peak power densities characteristic of the reference system. This augmentation of the phased array aperture with a large mirror gives the system greater resolution (in the optical sense), and opens new degrees of freedom in SPS design. The consequences of such an approach for a prototype satellite were explored. Its consequences for a mature SPS are discussed.

Drexler, K. E.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Corrective Optics For Camera On Telescope

Assembly of tilted, aspherical circularly symmetric mirrors used as corrective optical subsystem for camera mounted on telescope exhibiting both large spherical wave-front error and inherent off-axis astigmatism. Subsystem provides unobscured camera aperture and diffraction-limited camera performance, despite large telescope aberrations. Generic configuration applied in other optical systems in which aberations deliberately introduced into telescopes and corrected in associated cameras. Concept of corrective optical subsystem provides designer with additional degrees of freedom used to optimize optical system.

Macenka, Steven A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

'Virtual triple Schmidt' - Wide field two-stage optics

The design concept of an unobscured-wide-field two-stage optical system based on a virtual triple Schmidt (VTS) configuration is presented. It is pointed out that the single large aperture and field-partitioning capability of two-stage systems can lower material and fabrication costs, making the VTS optics suitable for ground-based and space telescopes. The VTS design combines a Schmidt-camera first stage and a second stage comprising two back-to-back Schmidt systems as a 1:1 relay. Aspheric Schmidt correction is achieved at the relayed pupil location for all three systems. The effects of the separation between the error-producing surface and the aperture stop are discussed; the performance of the wavefront-correction system is analyzed; and extensive diagrams, drawings, and graphs of projected performance data are provided.

Manhart, Paul K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A sensitive optical pyrometer for shock-temperature measurements

A new optical system was used to determine temperatures above 2400 K in shocked materials by measuring the spectral radiance of sub-microsecond pulses of light emitted from initially transparent solid samples in the visible and near infrared (450 to 900 nm). The high sensitivity of this optical pyrometer is attributed to the small number of channels, large aperture (0.03 steradian), the large bandwidth per channel (40 nm), and large photodiode detection area (0.2 sq cm). Improved calibration techniques reduce systematic errors encountered in previous shock-temperature experiments.

Boslough, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Thermal design trades for SAFIR architecture concepts

SAFIR is a IO-meter, 4 K space telescope optimized for wavelengths between 20 microns and 1 mm. The combination of aperture diameter and telescope temperature will provide a raw sensitivity improvement of more than a factor of 1000 over presently-planned missions. The sensitivity will be comparable to that of the JWST and ALMA, but at the critical far-IR wavelengths where much of the universe's radiative energy has emerged since the origin of stars and galaxies. We examine several of the critical technologies for SAFIR which enable the large cold aperture, and present results of studies examining the telescope optics and the spacecraft thermal architecture. Both the method by which the aperture is filled, and the overall optical design for the telescope can impact the potential scientific return of SAFIR. Thermal architecture that goes far beyond the sunshades developed for the James Webb Space Telescope will be necessary to achieve the desired sensitivity of SAFIR. By combining active and passive cooling at critical points within the observatory, a significant reduction of the required level of active cooling can be obtained.

infrared telescopes↗
NASA NTRS2017

Optimal Transport Based Control of Granular Imaging System in Space

"Orbiting Rainbows” is a paradigm for creating a space-based observatory (telescope) from confined and aligned granular media. The overall objective is to construct a very large and lightweight aperture in space using a cloud of micron-sized particles held in position and aligned by the application of external electromagnetic fields, thus alleviating the extreme expense of deploying and stabilizing large monolithic telescopes by reducing the mass of the primary aperture. Adaptive optics techniques for wavefront stabilization and computational imaging techniques are then used to remove the optical noise from the scattering reflections of the granular medium, and finally producing clean images within the diffraction limit. In this paper, we address one of the key challenges of this new paradigm, namely controlling the position and orientation of the granules or particles so that the cloud of particles achieves the desired shape of an ultra-lightweight telescope and points into the right orientation. A further complication arises due to the fact that the particles do not have any onboard actuators. A number of external electric-field-based actuators are used to control all the particles simultaneously. Moreover, the number of actuators are orders-of-magnitude smaller than the number of particles, making this system largely under-actuated. Since the cloud of particles in any plausible configuration can be modeled as a probability distribution over the workspace, we formulate this control challenge as an optimal transport problem and then show that our optimal transport based control law drives the cloud of particles from any initial distribution to the desired position distribution (optical surface) and angular distribution (polarization state). Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

Bandyopadhyay, Saptarshi↗