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TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA

TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA

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Introduction<br />

Secondary mirror surface<br />

Primary mirror<br />

surface<br />

Back end<br />

coronagraph<br />

optics<br />

Primary<br />

mirror<br />

Tertiary mirror<br />

surface<br />

Optical<br />

bench<br />

volume<br />

6m Primary Mirror Optical<br />

Prescription Reference<br />

8m Primary Mirror design<br />

Figure 1-3. Optical system schematic and opto-mechanical layout.<br />

After an initial on-orbit calibration and checkout period, the instrument will begin a 5-year<br />

science mission to obtain detailed and highly accurate coronagraphic measurements in search of<br />

planets orbiting nearby stars. Scheduled for launch in 2016, this mission will make<br />

measurements with far greater accuracy than is possible from the ground and will complement<br />

subsequent measurements to be made by <strong>TPF</strong>-I.<br />

1.6 Preliminary <strong>TPF</strong>-C Instrument Description<br />

The optics of <strong>TPF</strong>-C are currently structured around an off-axis Cassegrain telescope, followed<br />

by a wavefront compensation system, and finally an advanced coronagraph. The flow of the<br />

subcomponents of this system is shown schematically in Figure 1-4 and described in detail in the<br />

subsections that follow. Table 1-2 gives the mirror design parameters. The structure that<br />

supports the telescope and optics includes thermal isolation and actuators to reposition the<br />

secondary mirror, as well as separate thermal enclosures for the primary and secondary mirror.<br />

7

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