TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA

Chapter 4
Figure 4-7. Calibration of the JPL dilatometer using Single Crystal Silicon showing good
reproducibility with literature data.
The design, fabrication and assembly of the MTC facility was completed by CU (University of
Colorado) in FY04, and calibration of the experimental accuracy is underway. Preliminary data
have been obtained that show the test capability to measure microslip hysteresis, as shown in
Figure 4-5.
The funding for the two other test facilities, the PSS and the FSC, has just now been made
available in FY05, and there is no progress to report at this time.
4.1.4 Vibration Isolation Testbed
Objective
To reject the star flux and detect the planet flux in the visible light range, TPF-C must achieve a
rejection ratio of better than a billion to one. Dynamic jitter, introduced by environmental and
on-board mechanical disturbances, degrades the optical performance (image quality) and the
capability to reject starlight (contrast ratio). TPF-C must maintain the dynamic stability of its
instrument to the sub-mas and sub-nm level in order to successfully perform contrast imaging
required for planet detection. Meeting these stringent stability requirements in the presence of
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