Rigid lightweight optical bench for a spaceborne FUV spatial heterodyne interferometer

James L. Tom; Daniel M. Cotton; Brett C. Bush; Raymond Chung; Supriya Chakrabarti

doi:10.1117/12.48348

1 October 1991 Rigid lightweight optical bench for a spaceborne FUV spatial heterodyne interferometer

James L. Tom, Daniel M. Cotton, Brett C. Bush, Raymond Chung, Supriya Chakrabarti

Proceedings Volume 1549, EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy II; (1991) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.48348
Event: San Diego, '91, 1991, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Requirements for spaceflight optical instruments usually dictate that for the structures be rigid, lightweight, and thermally stable. In addition, for interferometric far ultraviolet (FUV) spectrometers, the requirements for torsional deflection are more severe than with conventional spectrometers. To meet the challenge for rigid and lightweight optical instruments, this paper explores the design of a high-stiffness structure for the support of an FUV spatial heterodyne interferometer where the torsional deflection of the instrument is on the order of 10 arc seconds. The structure is based on use of a thin, hollow section beam with weight-relieving between optical elements. The design also uses a modular and self-contained positioning mechanism that is removed after final optical alignment. Several specific material properties are presented as criteria for material selection. The parameters which affect the particular design requirements are identified with respect to the desired material properties and physical design features. Although large thin sections are susceptible to thermal gradients, this could be minimized by a trade-off for weight, where adequate margin exists. This paper describes the preliminary design for the structure and presents an analysis to verify compliance with the requirements.

Citation Download Citation

James L. Tom, Daniel M. Cotton, Brett C. Bush, Raymond Chung, and Supriya Chakrabarti "Rigid lightweight optical bench for a spaceborne FUV spatial heterodyne interferometer", Proc. SPIE 1549, EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy II, (1 October 1991); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.48348

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