TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA

Chapter 7
7 Plan for Technology Development
7.1 TPF-C Technology Roadmap
A very preliminary TPF-C technology roadmap based on our early assessment of the technical
risks for TPF-C is shown in Figure 7-1. It shows that all the identified technical risks will be
retired by the end of Phase B. A number of the testbed facilities used to retire technical risk will
be utilized in Phases C/D and potentially even E to test flight units and support observatory level
I&T.
As expected, the plans for the pre-Phase A activities are developed to higher fidelity than those
for Phase A and B. Below are the pre-Phase A top level development activities, which continue
the focus on the detection and characterization objectives described earlier in this document.
Adequate progress against the top level technology milestones related to the detection and
characterization objectives described in this document is a requirement for entering Phase A.
Following is a brief description of the top level technology activities in pre-Phase A, Phase A
and Phase B.
Top-Level Pre-Phase A Technology Development Activities:
It will be necessary to demonstrate starlight suppression on the High Contrast Imaging Testbed
within an order of magnitude of the flight performance requirement that, in combination with an
analytical model that is validated against the testbed, shows flight performance is feasible by end
of pre-Phase A. The pre-Phase A testbeds include the currently functional breadboard
instrumentation in the HCIT, Apodizing Masks and Stops, Dilatometer, and Scatterometer, all of
which will continue to be used into Phase A. The Technology Demonstration Mirror (TDM) is
currently in fabrication and testing and will be initiated before the end of pre-Phase A.
Definition for a number of Phase A testbeds, including the Instrument Technology and Planet
Detection Simulator, will begin as well.
By the end of pre-Phase A, a number of activities will be completed in addition to the technology
risk identification and mitigation plan as described in this document. It will also be necessary to
have a sufficiently complete and mature design by end of pre-Phase A to show that an exo-planet
detection and characterization mission is feasible. Primary mirror procurement strategy must be
sufficiently mature and complete by end of pre-Phase A to support the early procurement
required to reach launch readiness in 2016.
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