CubeSat Deformable Mirror Demonstration mission (DeMi)

Kerri Cahoy, Anne Marinan, Caitlin Kerr, Benjamin Novak, Matthew Webber, N. Jeremy Kasdin

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The high contrast requirement of 1010 needed to directly image an Earth-like exoplanet around a sun-like star at optical wavelengths requires space telescopes equipped with coronagraphs and wavefront control systems. Coronagraphs are needed to block the parent star's light and improve the ability of the system to detect photons that have reflected off of the exoplanet toward the observer. Wavefront control systems are needed to correct image plane aberrations and speckles caused by imperfections, thermal distortions, and diffraction in the telescope and optics that would otherwise corrupt the wavefront and ruin the desired contrast. The two key elements of wavefront control systems are (1) a way to detect the wavefront distortions (a wavefront sensor) and (2) a way to correct the distortions before the image plane (such as deformable mirrors, or DMs). In this paper, we investigate a compact and inexpensive CubeSat-based wavefront control testbed that can be used as a technology development precursor toward a larger mission.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2013
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Event2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2013 - Big Sky, MT, United States
Duration: Mar 2 2013Mar 9 2013

Publication series

NameIEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings
ISSN (Print)1095-323X

Other

Other2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBig Sky, MT
Period3/2/133/9/13

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

  • Adaptive optics
  • extrasolar planet
  • microelectromechanical systems
  • space technology

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