The NISP (Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer) is one of the two Euclid instruments (see ref [1]). It operates in the near-IR spectral region (950-2020nm) as a photometer and spectrometer. The instrument is composed of: - a cold (135K) optomechanical subsystem consisting of a Silicon carbide structure, an optical assembly, a filter wheel mechanism, a grism wheel mechanism, a calibration unit and a thermal control system - a detection system based on a mosaic of 16 H2RG with their front-end readout electronic. - a warm electronic system (290K) composed of a data processing / detector control unit and of an instrument control unit that interfaces with the spacecraft via a 1553 bus for command and control and via Spacewire links for science data This paper presents: - the final architecture of the flight model instrument and subsystems - the performances and the ground calibration measurement done at NISP level and at Euclid Payload Module level at operational cold temperature.
The Euclid mission objective is to understand why the expansion of the Universe is accelerating through by mapping the geometry of the dark Universe
by investigating the distance-redshift relationship and tracing the evolution of cosmic structures. The Euclid project is part of ESA's Cosmic Vision
program with its launch planned for 2020 (ref [1]).
The NISP (Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer) is one of the two Euclid instruments and is operating in the near-IR spectral region (900-
2000nm) as a photometer and spectrometer. The instrument is composed of:
- a cold (135K) optomechanical subsystem consisting of a Silicon carbide structure, an optical assembly (corrector and camera lens), a filter wheel
mechanism, a grism wheel mechanism, a calibration unit and a thermal control system
- a detection subsystem based on a mosaic of 16 HAWAII2RG cooled to 95K with their front-end readout electronic cooled to 140K, integrated on a
mechanical focal plane structure made with molybdenum and aluminum. The detection subsystem is mounted on the optomechanical subsystem
structure
- a warm electronic subsystem (280K) composed of a data processing / detector control unit and of an instrument control unit that interfaces with the
spacecraft via a 1553 bus for command and control and via Spacewire links for science data
This presentation describes the architecture of the instrument at the end of the phase C (Detailed Design Review), the expected performance, the
technological key challenges and preliminary test results obtained for different NISP subsystem breadboards and for the NISP Structural and Thermal
model (STM).
The Euclid mission objective is to understand why the expansion of the Universe is accelerating by mapping the geometry of the dark Universe by
investigating the distance-redshift relationship and tracing the evolution of cosmic structures. The Euclid project is part of ESA's Cosmic Vision
program with its launch planned for 2020.
The NISP (Near Infrared Spectro-Photometer) is one of the two Euclid instruments and is operating in the near-IR spectral region (0.9-2μm) as a
photometer and spectrometer. The instrument is composed of:
- a cold (135K) optomechanical subsystem consisting of a SiC structure, an optical assembly (corrector and camera lens), a filter wheel mechanism, a
grism wheel mechanism, a calibration unit and a thermal control system
- a detection subsystem based on a mosaic of 16 Teledyne HAWAII2RG cooled to 95K with their front-end readout electronic cooled to 140K,
integrated on a mechanical focal plane structure made with Molybdenum and Aluminum. The detection subsystem is mounted on the optomechanical
subsystem structure
- a warm electronic subsystem (280K) composed of a data processing / detector control unit and of an instrument control unit that interfaces with the
spacecraft via a 1553 bus for command and control and via Spacewire links for science data
This presentation describes the architecture of the instrument at the end of the phase B (Preliminary Design Review), the expected performance, the
technological key challenges and preliminary test results obtained on a detection system demonstration model.
We present the second-generation VLTI instrument GRAVITY, which currently is in the preliminary design phase.
GRAVITY is specifically designed to observe highly relativistic motions of matter close to the event horizon of Sgr A*,
the massive black hole at center of the Milky Way. We have identified the key design features needed to achieve this
goal and present the resulting instrument concept. It includes an integrated optics, 4-telescope, dual feed beam combiner
operated in a cryogenic vessel; near infrared wavefront sensing adaptive optics; fringe tracking on secondary sources
within the field of view of the VLTI and a novel metrology concept. Simulations show that the planned design matches
the scientific needs; in particular that 10µas astrometry is feasible for a source with a magnitude of K=15 like Sgr A*,
given the availability of suitable phase reference sources.
The very large telescope (VLT) interferometer (VLTI) in its current operating state is equipped with high-order
adaptive optics (MACAO) working in the visible spectrum. A low-order near-infrared wavefront sensor (IRIS)
is available to measure non-common path tilt aberrations downstream the high-order deformable mirror. For
the next generation of VLTI instrumentation, in particular for the designated GRAVITY instrument, we have
examined various designs of a four channel high-order near-infrared wavefront sensor. Particular objectives of
our study were the specification of the near-infrared detector in combination with a standard wavefront sensing
system. In this paper we present the preliminary design of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor operating in
the near-infrared wavelength range, which is capable of measuring the wavefronts of four telescopes simultaneously.
We further present results of our design study, which aimed at providing a first instrumental concept for
GRAVITY.
KEYWORDS: Global Positioning System, Cameras, Imaging systems, Satellites, Charge-coupled devices, Photometry, Signal detection, Signal attenuation, Telescopes, Computing systems
MicroLux is a GPS-based high precision and high speed timing add-on to the Calar Alto Lucky Imaging camera
AstraLux. It allows timestamping of individual CCD exposures at frame rates of more than 1 kHz with an
accuracy better than one microsecond with respect to the UTC timeframe. The system was successfully used
for high speed observations of the optical pulse profile of the Crab pulsar in January and November 2007. I
present the technical design concept of MicroLux as well as first results from these observations, in particular
the reconstructed pulse profile of the pulsar.
AstraLux is the Lucky Imaging camera for the Calar Alto 2.2-m telescope, based on an electron-multiplying
high speed CCD. By selecting only the best 1-10% of several thousand short exposure frames, AstraLux provides
nearly diffraction limited imaging capabilities in the SDSS i' and z' filters over a field of view of 24×24 arcseconds.
By choosing commercially available components wherever possible, the instrument could be built in short time
and at comparably low cost. We present the instrument design, the data reduction pipeline, and summarise the
performance and characteristics.
We built an optical system that emulates the optical characteristics of an 8m-class telescope like the VLT and that
contains rotating glass plates phase screens to generate realistic atmosphere-like optical turbulence. Together
with an array of single mode fibers fed from white light sources to simulate various stellar configurations, we can
investigate the behavior of different single or multi-conjugate adaptive optics setups. In this paper we present
the characteristics of phase screens etched on glass plates surfaces obtained from Silios Technologies.
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