We describe a 1-meter space telescope plus free-flying occulter craft mission that would provide direct imaging and spectroscopic observations of Jovian and Uranus-sized planets about nearby stars not detectable by Doppler techniques. The Doppler technique is most sensitive for the detection of massive, close-in extrasolar planets while the use of a free-flying occulter would make it possible to image and study stellar systems with planets comparable to our own Solar System. Such a mission with a larger telescope has the potential to detect earth-like planets.Previous studies of free-flying occulters reported advantages in having the occulting spot outside the telescope compared to a classical coronagraph onboard a space telescope. Using an external occulter means light scatter within the telescope is reduced due to fewer internal obstructions and less light entering the telescope and the polishing tolerances of the primary mirror and the supporting optics can be less stringent, thereby providing higher contrast and fainter detection limits. In this concept, the occulting spot is positioned over the star by translating the occulter craft, at distances of 1,000 to 15,000 km from the telescope. Any source within the telescope field-of-view can be occulted without moving the telescope.In this paper, we present our current concept for a 1-m space telescope matched to a free-flying occulter, the Umbral Missions Blocking Radiating Astronomical Sources (UMBRAS) space mission. An UMBRAS space mission consists of a Solar Powered Ion Driven Eclipsing Rover (SPIDER) occulter craft and a matched (apodized) telescope. The occulter spacecraft would be semi-autonomous, with its own propulsion systems, internal power (solar cells), communications, and navigation capability. Spacecraft rendezvous and formation flying would be achieved with the aid of telescope imaging, RF or laser ranging, celestial navigation inputs, and formation control algorithms.Al Schultz is an Instrument Scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). He has worked at STScI for ∼12 years. Since launch, Dr. Schultz has supported HST operations in PODPS, which is now part of OPUS, the GHRS, STIS, NICMOS, and WFPC2 instruments. (Send correspondence to schultz@stsci.edu; Telephone: 410-338-5044)High-Contrast Imaging for Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/17/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx Proc. of SPIE Vol. 4860 57 Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/17/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx
The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission, which is part of the Living With a Star program, was successfully launched and deployed from its Atlas V launch vehicle on February 11 , 2010. SDO is an Explorer-class mission now operating in a geosynchronous orbit (GEO). The basic mission is to observe the Sun for a very high percentage of the 5-year mission (IO-year goal) with long stretches of uninterrupted _ observations and with constant, high-data-rate transmission to a dedicated ground station located in White Sands, New Mexico. A significant portion of SDO's launch mass was propellant, contained in two large tanks. To ensure performance with this level of · propellant, a slosh analysis was performed. This paper provides an overview of the SDO slosh analysis, the on-orbit experience, and the lessons learned.SDO is a three-axis controlled, single fault tolerant spacecraft. The attitude sensor complement includes sixteen coarse Sun sensors, a digital Sun sensor, three two-axis inertial reference units, two star trackers, and four guide telescopes. Attitude actuation is performed either using four reaction wheels or eight thrusters, depending on the control mode, along with single main engine which nominally provides velocity-change thrust. The attitude control software has five nominal control modes: three wheel-based modes and two thruster-based modes. A wheel-based Safehold running in the Attitude Control Electronics (ACE) box improves the robustness of the system as a whole. All six modes are designed on the same basic proportional-integral-derivative attitude error structure, with more robust modes setting their integral gains to zero.To achieve and maintain a geosynchronous orbit for a 2974 kg spacecraft in a cost effective manner, the SDO team designed a high-efficiency propulsive system. This bi-propellant design includes a 100 lbf main engine and eight Slbf attitude control thrusters. The main engine provides high specific impulse for the maneuvers to attain GEO, while the smaller Attitude Control System (ACS) thrusters manage the disturbance torques of the larger main engine and provide the capability for much smaller orbit adjustment bums. SDO's large solar profile produces a large solar torque disturbance and momenJum buildup. This buildup drives the frequency of momentum unloads via ACS thrusters. SDO requires 1409 kg (which is approximately half the launch mass) of propellant to achieve and maintain the GEO orbit while performing the momentum unloads for 10 years.For missions requiring large amounts of propellant for orbit insertion/maintenance or momentum unload, it is imperative that slosh dynamics, the motion of any free liquid propellant surface inside the propellant tanks and its impact on the spacecraft, are understood. This propellant motion can result in periodic disturbance forces and torques on a spacecraft or launch vehicle. These slosh effects must be accounted for in the control mode design. A poor controller design can excite the slosh dynamics, which can adversely impact the ...
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