Design considerations for a small ultraviolet-visible space telescope for amateur and professional use

Donald Platt

doi:10.1117/12.278942

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19 September 1997 Design considerations for a small ultraviolet-visible space telescope for amateur and professional use

Donald Platt

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Proceedings Volume 3119, Multispectral Imaging for Terrestrial Applications II; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.278942
Event: Optical Science, Engineering and Instrumentation '97, 1997, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Presented is a preliminary design for a small ultraviolet- visible (uv-vis) sensitive space telescope. Included will be optical, sensor, and spacecraft subsystem design considerations. With recent advances in charge coupled device (CCD) technology it is now possible to build a space telescope system with wavelength sensitivity from 200 to 1000 nm. A main objective of this design is to keep costs to a minimum and use commercial off the shelf (COTS) components wherever possible. Such a low-cost system could provide a platform for studying such untested techniques as small space-based optical interferometry. The observatory could be open to a guest observer program with proposal for observing time accepted from anyone with a scientifically useful plan. Amateurs and professional astronomers alike. The World Wide Web (WWW) could be used to provide data and images to registered subscribers.

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Donald Platt "Design considerations for a small ultraviolet-visible space telescope for amateur and professional use", Proc. SPIE 3119, Multispectral Imaging for Terrestrial Applications II, (19 September 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.278942

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