This paper is the third in the series on the technology development for the EXCEDE (EXoplanetary Circumstellar Environments and Disk Explorer) mission concept, which in 2011 was selected by NASA's Explorer program for technology development (Category III). EXCEDE is a 0.7m space telescope concept designed to achieve raw contrasts of 1e6 at an inner working angle of 1.2 l/D and 1e7 at 2 l/D and beyond. This will allow it to directly detect and spatially resolve low surface brightness circumstellar debris disks as well as image giant planets as close as in the habitable zones of their host stars. In addition to doing fundamental science on debris disks, EXCEDE will also serve as a technological and scientific precursor for any future exo-Earth imaging mission. EXCEDE uses a Starlight Suppression System (SSS) based on the PIAA coronagraph, enabling aggressive performance.Previously, we reported on the achievement of our first milestone (demonstration of EXCEDE IWA and contrast in monochromatic light) in air. In this paper, we report on our continuing progress of developing the SSS for EXCEDE, and in particular (a) the reconfiguration of our system into a more flight-like layout, with an upstream deformable mirror and an inverse PIAA system, as well as a LOWFS, and (b) testing this system in a vacuum chamber, including IWA, contrast, and stability performance. The results achieved so far are 2.9e-7 contrast between 1.2-2.0 l/D and 9.7e-8 contrast between 2.0-6.0 l/D in monochromatic light; as well as 1.4e-6 between 2.0-6.0 l/D in a 10% band, all with a PIAA coronagraph operating at an inner working angle of 1.2 l/D. This constitutes better contrast than EXCEDE requirements (in those regions) in monochromatic light, and progress towards requirements in broadband light. Even though this technology development is primarily targeted towards EXCEDE, it is also germane to any exoplanet direct imaging space-based telescopes because of the many challenges common to different coronagraph architectures and mission requirements.

The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) is a NASA SMall Explorer (SMEX) mission launched onboard a Pegasus™ booster on June 27, 2013. The spacecraft and instrument were designed and built at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. The primary mission goal is to learn how the solar atmosphere is energized. IRIS will obtain high-resolution UV spectra and images in space (0.4 arcsec) and time (1s), focusing on the chromosphere and transition region of our sun, which is a complex interface region between the photosphere and corona. The IRIS instrument uses a Cassegrain telescope to feed a dual spectrograph and slit-jaw imager, which operate in the 133-141 nm and 278-283 nm wavelengths, respectively.Within the spectrograph there are sixteen optics, each requiring subtle mounting features to meet exacting surface figure and stability requirements. This paper covers the opto-mechanical design for the most challenging optic mounts, which include the Collimator, UV Fold Mirrors, and UV Gratings. Although all mounts are unique in size and shape, the fundamental design remains the same. The mounts are highly kinematic, thermally matched, and independent of friction. Their development will be described in detail, starting with the driving requirements and an explanation of the underlying design philosophy.

High spectral resolution Fourier transform imaging spectroscopy has been demonstrated at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center. A testbed was built using a Michelson interferometer with a two-stage end-mirror control system. Homodyne laser metrology was used to sense relative tip, tilt and piston in the interferometer, and a 3-degree of freedom fast steering mirror in conjunction with a linear actuator stage provided sub-nanometer actuation control over 20 millimeters of piston range. The range of piston over which signal was present allowed for spectral resolution at the nanometer level in the visible / near infrared (VNIR) band for every pixel in the reconstructed image.

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