MEMS deformable mirror CubeSat testbed

• Main Authors: Marinan, Anne D. (Contributor), Barg, Andrew (Contributor), Berry, Kristen (Contributor), Carlton, Ashley (Contributor), Belikov, Ruslan (Author), Bendek, Eduardo (Author), Cahoy, Kerri (Contributor), Novak, Benjamin G. (Contributor), Kerr, Caitlin E. (Contributor), Nguyen, Tam T. (Contributor), Webber, Matthew William (Contributor), Falkenburg, Grant E. (Contributor)
• Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Contributor)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SPIE, 2015-05-04T18:35:02Z.
• Subjects: Article
• Online Access: Get fulltext

To meet the high contrast requirement of 1 × 10[superscript −10] to image an Earth-like planet around a Sun-like star, space telescopes equipped with coronagraphs require wavefront control systems. Deformable mirrors are a key element of these systems that correct for optical imperfections, thermal distortions, and diffraction that would otherwise corrupt the wavefront and ruin the contrast. However, high-actuator-count MEMS deformable mirrors have yet to fly in space long enough to characterize their on-orbit performance and reduce risk by developing and operating their supporting systems. The goal of the MEMS Deformable Mirror CubeSat Testbed is to develop a CubeSat-scale demonstration of MEMS deformable mirror and wavefront sensing technology. In this paper, we consider two approaches for a MEMS deformable mirror technology demonstration payload that will fit within the mass, power, and volume constraints of a CubeSat: 1) a Michelson interferometer and 2) a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We clarify the constraints on the payload based on the resources required for supporting CubeSat subsystems drawn from subsystems that we have developed for a different CubeSat flight project. We discuss results from payload lab prototypes and their utility in defining mission requirements.
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Office of the Chief Technologist NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship)
Jeptha and Emily Wade Fund
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program