Gaia: focus, straylight and basic angle

A. Mora; M. Biermann; A. Bombrun; J. Boyadjian; F. Chassat; P. Corberand; M. Davidson; D. Doyle; D. Escolar; W. L. M. Gielesen; T. Guilpain; J. Hernandez; V. Kirschner; S. A. Klioner; C. Koeck; B. Laine; L. Lindegren; E. Serpell; P. Tatry; P. Thoral

doi:10.1117/12.2230763

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1 August 2016 Gaia: focus, straylight and basic angle

A. Mora, M. Biermann, A. Bombrun, J. Boyadjian, F. Chassat, P. Corberand, M. Davidson, D. Doyle, D. Escolar, W. L. M. Gielesen, T. Guilpain, J. Hernandez, V. Kirschner, S. A. Klioner, C. Koeck, B. Laine, L. Lindegren, E. Serpell, P. Tatry, P. Thoral

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Proceedings Volume 9904, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 99042D (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2230763
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

The Gaia all-sky astrometric survey is challenged by several issues affecting the spacecraft stability. Amongst them, we find the focus evolution, straylight and basic angle variations Contrary to pre-launch expectations, the image quality is continuously evolving, during commissioning and the nominal mission. Payload decontaminations and wavefront sensor assisted refocuses have been carried out to recover optimum performance. An ESA-Airbus DS working group analysed the straylight and basic angle issues and worked on a detailed root cause analysis. In parallel, the Gaia scientists have also analysed the data, most notably comparing the BAM signal to global astrometric solutions, with remarkable agreement. In this contribution, a status review of these issues will be provided, with emphasis on the mitigation schemes and the lessons learned for future space missions where extreme stability is a key requirement.

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A. Mora, M. Biermann, A. Bombrun, J. Boyadjian, F. Chassat, P. Corberand, M. Davidson, D. Doyle, D. Escolar, W. L. M. Gielesen, T. Guilpain, J. Hernandez, V. Kirschner, S. A. Klioner, C. Koeck, B. Laine, L. Lindegren, E. Serpell, P. Tatry, and P. Thoral "Gaia: focus, straylight and basic angle", Proc. SPIE 9904, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 99042D (1 August 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2230763

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