Midinfrared optimized resolution spacecraft

A concept study was performed in 1994 to develop a mission design for a telescope to achieve the highest possible spatial resolution in the 10 - 30 micron range within a $DOL200 million mission cost cap. The selected approach for the resulting Mid-InfraRed Optimized Resolution Spacecraft (MIRORS) concept design utilizes a partially filled five meter aperture. A simple deployment scheme permits this spacecraft to be fit within the volume envelope and mass capabilities of a Med-Lite launch vehicle. Low bandwidth cryogenic actuators, which dissipate no heat once set, will align the optics after on-orbit thermal stability is achieved. Image stabilization, fine point and stray-light control are achieved through use of a novel actuated Offner relay. Image reconstruction techniques developed for IRAS will be used to deconvolve nearly diffraction-limited images at 10 microns (FWHM approximately 0.5 arcsec). A Lissajous orbit about the L2 sun-earth libration point (sun-earth- L2 on a straight line) is adopted because its extremely stable thermal environment results in correspondingly high telescope mechanical stability and optical performance. This orbit, combined with a spacecraft configuration which incorporates an inflatable sunshield and a deployable four- stage v-groove thermal shield, enables the optics to radiatively cool <25 K. The large format focal plane will be actively cooled to <8 K by a vibration-free, long-life sorption refrigerator.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.