Strategies for servicing the Single Aperture Far IR (SAFIR) telescope

Self Cite

The Single Aperture Far Infrared (SAFIR) observatory -a concept design for a 10m-class spaceborne far-infrared and submillimeter telescope, has been proposed for development, and given high priority by agency strategic planners. SAFIR will target star formation in the early universe, the chemistry of our interstellar medium, and the chemical processes that lead to planet formation. SAFIR is a telescope that, with passive cooling at Earth-Sun L2, achieves temperatures that allow background-limited broad-band operation in the far infrared. This observatory is baselined as being autonomous in deployment and operation, but consideration has been given to understanding the enabling opportunities presented by Exploration architecture. As this architecture has become better defined, these opportunities have become easier to understand. We present conceptual strategies that would use modestly enhanced Exploration architecture to service and maintain SAFIR, allowing extended duration, lower risk and hardware cost, and performance enhancements linked to the steep development curve for sensor technology. These efforts, which would rely on both human and robotic agents, presume routine operations at Earth-Sun L2, and servicing at an Earth-Moon L1 jobsite. The latter is understood to be easily accessible to a lunar-capable Exploration program. This study bridges the interface between Exploration technology and astronomical space observatory technology. Such an Exploration-enhanced version of SAFIR can be seen as a strawman for more ambitious far future work, in which much larger science instruments that cannot be packaged in a single launch vehicle are not only serviced and maintained in space, but also constructed there.

“…As the Exploration architecture concepts developed, attempts were made to map SAFIR onto these concepts. 10,11,12 This paper constitutes an update to those first efforts.…”

Section: The Safir Mission Conceptmentioning

confidence: 97%

Large infrared telescopes in the exploration era: SAFIR

Lester¹,

Budinoff

Lillie

2007

Self Cite

“…Similar vehicles could be used to service future space observatories such as the Singles Aperture Far Infra-Red (SAFIR) 24,25 telescope, as shown in Figure 13. In the simplest scenario SAFIR would be serviced telerobotically in its L2 orbit.…”

Section: In-space Servicingmentioning

confidence: 99%

On-orbit assembly and servicing of future space observatories

Lillie

2006

NASA's experience servicing the Hubble Space Telescope, including the installation of optical elements to compensate for a mirror manufacturing error; replacement of failed avionics and worn-out batteries, gyros, thermal insulation and solar arrays; upgrades to the data handling subsystem; installation of far more capable instruments; and retrofitting the NICMOS experiment with a mechanical cryocooler has clearly demonstrated the advantages of onorbit servicing. This effort has produced a unique astronomical observatory that is orders of magnitude more capable than when it was launched and can be operated for several times its original design life. The in-space operations capabilities that are developed for NASA's Exploration Program will make it possible to assemble and service spacecraft in space and to service them in cis-lunar and L2 orbits. Future space observatories should be designed to utilize these capabilities. This paper discusses the application of the lessons learned from HST and our plans for servicing the Advanced X-ray Astrophysical Observatory with the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle and the Space Station Freedom Customer Servicing Facility to future space observatories, such as SAFIR and LifeFinder that are designed to operate in heliocentric orbits. It addresses the use of human and robotic in-space capabilities that would be required for on-orbit assembly and servicing for future space observatories, and describes some of our design concepts for these activities.

“…The possibility of in-space servicing was considered in detail in 2005 by Lester et al 8 for the Single Aperture Far InfraRed (SAFIR) space telescope concept, designed for observations between 30 and 800 m wavelengths, and depicted in Figures 2 and 3 below. Although there are significant differences between the two telescope concepts (occasioned principally by the different wavebands each addresses), the similarities in approach and requirements flowdown are sufficient to enable the use of Lester's paper as a second basis (following the MAST paper) for the discussion following in this paper.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-space infrastructures and the Modular Assembled Space Telescope (MAST)

MacEwen

2013

Although current budget realities discourage optimism regarding future development of large spaceborne astronomical telescopes, it is prudent to identify options that may enhance future cost-benefit ratios and enhance system opportunities sooner rather than later. Using a concept for a 20 meter UV-Optical-IR (UVOIR) telescope known as the Modular Assembled Space Telescope (MAST) assembled in space and operating in Sun-Earth L2 (SEL2) halo orbit as a baseline, this paper discusses proposed concepts and technologies for infrastructures related to deep space human and robotic exploration missions that could create opportunities for such a space telescope. The paper also explores the possibility that a telescope such as MAST or the related infrastructure could itself be leveraged to benefit other missions, for example through shared use of space and ground infrastructure, in-space operational experience, or other forms of collaboration.