Abstract
We report on the characteristics and design details of the Medium Scale Anisotropy Measurement telescope, a millimeter-wave, balloon-borne experiment that measures anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background radiation on 0°5 angular scales. The gondola is capable of maintaining orientation to 2' rms and determining absolute pointing to 2!5 accuracy during a one-night flight. Emphasis is placed on the optical and pointing performance as well as the weight and power budgets. We also discuss the total balloon/gondola mechanical system. The pendulation from this system is a ubiquitous perturbation on the pointing system. A detailed understanding in these areas is needed for developing the next generation of balloon-borne instruments.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 63-77 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 470 |
Issue number | 1 PART I |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1996 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
Keywords
- Balloons
- Cosmic microwave background
- Instrumentation: Miscellaneous telescopes