The StarLight mission is designed to validate the technologies of formation flying and stellar interferometry in space. The mission consists of two spacecraft in an earth-trailing orbit that formation-fly over relative ranges of 40 to 600m to an accuracy of 10 cm. The relative range and bearing of the spacecraft is sensed by a novel RF sensor, the Autonomous Formation Flyer sensor, which provides 2cm and 1mrad range and bearing knowledge between the spacecraft. The spacecraft each host instrument payloads for a Michelson interferometer that exploit the moving spacecraft to generate variable observing baselines between 30 and 125m. The StarLight preliminary design has shown that a formation-flying interferometer involves significant coupling between the major system elements - spacecraft, formation-flying control, formation-flying sensor, and the interferometer instrument. Mission requirements drive innovative approaches for long-range heterodyne metrology, optical design, glint suppression, formation estimation and control, spacecraft design, and mission operation. Experimental results are described for new technology development areas.


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    Titel :

    StarLight mission: a formation-flying stellar interferometer


    Beteiligte:
    Blackwood, Gary H. (Autor:in) / Lay, Oliver P. (Autor:in) / Deininger, William D. (Autor:in) / Gudim, MiMi A. (Autor:in) / Ahmed, Asif (Autor:in) / Duren, Riley M. (Autor:in) / Noecker, Charley (Autor:in) / Barden, Brian (Autor:in)

    Kongress:

    Interferometry in Space ; 2002 ; Waikoloa,Hawai'i,United States


    Erschienen in:

    Erscheinungsdatum :

    26.02.2003





    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Konferenz)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch






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