Cryogenic testing of the integrated Ariel space telescope: design of the optical test equipment

Robert Spry; Manuel Abreu; Keith Nowicki; Neil Bowles; Maisie Rashman; Cédric Pereira; Jake Hutchinson; David Miguel Ventura de Castro Alves; Rory Evans; Robert Watkins; Waqas Mir; John-Paul Walker; Ioannis Argyriou; Joss Guy; Juergen Schmoll; Chris Davison; Henry Eshbaugh; Alexandre Cabral; Rachel Drummond; Lucile Desjonqueres; Mark Anderson; Georgia Bishop; Paul Eccleston; Enzo Pascale; Andrew Caldwell; Giovanna Tinetti

doi:10.1117/12.3020185

23 August 2024 Cryogenic testing of the integrated Ariel space telescope: design of the optical test equipment

Robert Spry, Manuel Abreu, Keith Nowicki, Neil Bowles, Maisie Rashman, Cédric Pereira, Jake Hutchinson, David Miguel Ventura de Castro Alves, Rory Evans, Robert Watkins, Waqas Mir, John-Paul Walker, Ioannis Argyriou, Joss Guy, Juergen Schmoll, Chris Davison, Henry Eshbaugh, Alexandre Cabral, Rachel Drummond, Lucile Desjonqueres, Mark Anderson, Georgia Bishop, Paul Eccleston, Enzo Pascale, Andrew Caldwell, Giovanna Tinetti

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13092, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 130924V (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3020185
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Conference Poster

Abstract

In this proceeding, we present the development of the Optical Ground Support Equipment (OGSE) used for payload-level testing of the Ariel space mission. Ariel is an ESA mission that will use the transit spectroscopy method to observe the atmospheres of nominally ~1000 exoplanets. Ariel is a 1 m class cryogenic (∼ 40 K) space telescope that will be placed in a halo orbit around the Earth-Sun L2 point. To detect atmospheric molecular absorption features, Ariel will produce medium-resolution spectra (R ≥ 15) using three spectroscopic channels covering 1.1 – 7.9 μm as well as having photometric channels covering 0.5 – 1.1 μm. To achieve Ariel’s science goals, the payload requires detailed calibration and performance verification. The payload-level performance verification of the Ariel payload will take place in 2026 in a 5-meter vacuum chamber at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s Space Instruments Test Facility. The payload will be enclosed in a Cryogenic Test Rig (CTR) to provide a space-like (~35 K) thermal environment and is illuminated by the OGSE. The OGSE provides point as well as extended source illumination across Ariel’s full wavelength range. The OGSE design also includes a series of mechanisms and features to enable the various illumination conditions required to test Ariel. Here we report design updates to the OGSE after a preliminary design review (PDR). Since PDR, there have been substantial revisions to the OGSE architecture. In this proceeding, we describe the evolution of the OGSE architecture. The updated OGSE design will then be presented.

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

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Robert Spry, Manuel Abreu, Keith Nowicki, Neil Bowles, Maisie Rashman, Cédric Pereira, Jake Hutchinson, David Miguel Ventura de Castro Alves, Rory Evans, Robert Watkins, Waqas Mir, John-Paul Walker, Ioannis Argyriou, Joss Guy, Juergen Schmoll, Chris Davison, Henry Eshbaugh, Alexandre Cabral, Rachel Drummond, Lucile Desjonqueres, Mark Anderson, Georgia Bishop, Paul Eccleston, Enzo Pascale, Andrew Caldwell, and Giovanna Tinetti "Cryogenic testing of the integrated Ariel space telescope: design of the optical test equipment", Proc. SPIE 13092, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 130924V (23 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3020185

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