Dr. Daniel F. Lester Profile

Dr. Daniel F. Lester

Research Scientist

SPIE Involvement:

Author

Proceedings Article | 11 August 2010 Paper

The background-limited infrared-submillimeter spectrograph (BLISS) for SPICA: a design study

C. Bradford, James Bock, Warren Holmes, M. Kenyon, A. Beyer, M. Werner, M. Rud, T. Prouvé, P. Echternach, K. Irwin, S. Cho, M. Harwit, G. Stacey, G. Helou, L. Armus, P. Appleton, J. D. Smith, U. Gorti, G. Rieke, E. Egami, D. Lester, J. Glenn, M. Malkan, D. Dale

Proceedings Volume 7731, 77310S (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857779

KEYWORDS: Sensors, Spectrometers, Galactic astronomy, Bolometers, Stars, Mirrors, Infrared spectroscopy, Cryogenics, Telescopes, Infrared radiation

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Proceedings Article | 12 July 2008 Paper

CALISTO: the Cryogenic Aperture Large Infrared Space Telescope Observatory

Paul Goldsmith, Matt Bradford, Mark Dragovan, Chris Paine, Celeste Satter, Bill Langer, Harold Yorke, Kevin Huffenberger, Dominic Benford, Dan Lester

Proceedings Volume 7010, 701020 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.788412

KEYWORDS: Space telescopes, Stars, Telescopes, Astronomy, Galactic astronomy, Infrared telescopes, Infrared radiation, Space operations, Observatories, Spectroscopy

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CALISTO, the Cryogenic Aperture Large Infrared Space Telescope Observatory, will enable extraordinarily high sensitivity far-infrared continuum and moderate (R ~ 1000) resolution spectroscopic observations at wavelengths from ~30µm to ~300 μm - the wavelengths between those accessible by JWST and future ground based facilities. CALISTO's observations will provide vital information about a wide range of important astronomical questions including (1) the first stars and initial heavy element production in the universe; (2) structures in the universe traced by H2 emission; (3) the evolution of galaxies and the star formation within them (4) the formation of planetary systems through observations of protostellar and debris disks; (5) the outermost portions of our solar system through observations of Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) and the Oort cloud. With optics cooled to below 5 K, the photon fluctuations from the astronomical background (Zodiacal, Galactic, and extragalactic) exceed those from the telescope. Detectors with a noise equivalent power below that set by the background will make possible astronomical-background-limited sensitivity through the submillimeter/far-infrared region. CALISTO builds on studies for the SAFIR (Single Aperture Far Infrared) telescope mission, employing a 4m x 6m off-axis Gregorian telescope which has a simple deployment using an Atlas V launch vehicle. The unblocked telescope with a cold stop has minimal sidelobes and scattering. The clean beam will allow astronomical background limited observations over a large fraction of the sky, which is what is required to achieve CALISTO's exciting science goals. The maximum angular resolution varies from 1.2" at 30 µm to 12" at 300 μm. The 5σ 1 hr detectable fluxes are ▵S(dν/ν = 1.0) = 2.2x10^-20 Wm^-2, and ▵S(dν/ν = 0.001) = 6.2x10^-22 Wm^-2. The 8 beams per source confusion limit at 70 μm is estimated to be 5 μJy. We discuss CALISTO optics, performance, instrument complement, and mission design, and give an overview of key science goals and required technology development to enable this promising far IR/submm mission.

Proceedings Article | 20 September 2007 Paper

Large infrared telescopes in the exploration era: SAFIR

Dan Lester, Jason Budinoff, Charles Lillie

Proceedings Volume 6687, 66870M (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.733281

KEYWORDS: Space telescopes, Observatories, Telescopes, James Webb Space Telescope, Infrared telescopes, Space operations, Astronomy, Aerospace engineering, Robotics, Contamination

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Proceedings Article | 7 July 2006 Paper

Science promise and conceptual mission design for SAFIR: the single aperture far-infrared observatory

Dan Lester, Dominic Benford, Harold Yorke, C. Bradford, K. Parrish, H. Stahl

Proceedings Volume 6265, 62651X (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.671995

KEYWORDS: James Webb Space Telescope, Space telescopes, Telescopes, Mirrors, Galactic astronomy, Observatories, Far infrared, Stars, Spectrometers, Cameras

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Proceedings Article | 18 August 2005 Paper

Strategies for servicing the Single Aperture Far IR (SAFIR) telescope

Dan Lester, Ed Friedman, Charles Lillie

Proceedings Volume 5899, 58990K (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.624242

KEYWORDS: Observatories, Space telescopes, Telescopes, Space operations, Infrared telescopes, James Webb Space Telescope, Far infrared, Control systems, Astronomy, Contamination

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Proceedings Article | 12 October 2004 Paper

The science case and mission concept for the Single Aperture Far-Infrared (SAFIR) Observatory

Daniel Lester, Dominic Benford, Andrew Blain, Charles Bradford, Mark Dragovan, William Langer, Charles Lawrence, David Leisawitz, John Mather, Samuel Moseley, Lee Mundy, George Rieke, Gordon Stacey, Harold Yorke, Erick Young

Proceedings Volume 5487, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.551335

KEYWORDS: Observatories, Stars, Space telescopes, James Webb Space Telescope, Telescopes, Galactic astronomy, Mirrors, Infrared telescopes, Spatial resolution, Infrared radiation

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Proceedings Article | 5 March 2003 Paper

Single-aperture far-infrared observatory (SAFIR)

Paul Harvey, George Rieke, Daniel Lester, Dominic Benford

Proceedings Volume 4850, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.461746

KEYWORDS: Galactic astronomy, Space telescopes, Telescopes, Stars, Observatories, Clouds, Sensors, Spectroscopy, Mirrors, Solar system

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Proceedings Article | 4 February 2003 Paper

The Large Atacama Telescope (LAT) project

Terry Herter, Bernhard Brandl, Stephen Eikenberry, Riccardo Giovanelli, Luke Keller, Daniel Lester, Thomas Sebring, Gordon Stacey

Proceedings Volume 4837, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.457966

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Mirrors, Mid-IR, Galactic astronomy, Adaptive optics, Imaging spectroscopy, Stars, Space telescopes, Actuators, Point spread functions

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Showing 5 of 8 publications

Conference Committee Involvement (2)

UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts IV

3 August 2009 | San Diego, California, United States

UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts III

26 August 2007 | San Diego, California, United States

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