Design and verification of the Far Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (FUV-SI) for the IMAGE mission

peer reviewedThe IMAGE FUV-SI is simultaneously imaging auroras at 121.8 nm and 135.8 nm. The spectrograph design challenge is the efficient rejection of the intense Lyman-alpha emission at 121.6 nm while passing its Doppler-shifted component at 121.8 nm. The FUV-SI opto-mechanical design, analysis integration, and verification of performances against environment are discussed in this paper. In absence of STM environmental constraints at subsystem levels are derived analytically from F.E.M. and used for pre-qualifying optical subsystems

Continuous Solar Simulator for Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems

A continuous solar simulator for measuring performance of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems is presented. The illumination system is based on a Xenon lamp, a homogenizer rod, shaping optics and a 30cm diameter collimator. The design optimises the reproduction of the characteristics of direct solar illumination: 32’ divergence, high spatial homogeneity, sun-like spectral distribution, with a maximum intensity of 250W/m². It accommodates pass-band and attenuation filters to tune the beam output. It operates in continuous mode, allowing to investigate CPV thermal aspects as well. The present paper addresses the concept design of the solar simulator and associated performance results

FEA testing the pre-flight Ariel primary mirror

Ariel (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey) is an ESA M class mission aimed at the study of exoplanets. The satellite will orbit in the lagrangian point L2 and will survey a sample of 1000 exoplanets simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. The challenging scientific goal of Ariel implies unprecedented engineering efforts to satisfy the severe requirements coming from the science in terms of accuracy. The most important specification – an all-Aluminum telescope – requires very accurate design of the primary mirror (M1), a novel, off-set paraboloid honeycomb mirror with ribs, edge, and reflective surface. To validate such a mirror, some tests were carried out on a prototype – namely Pathfinder Telescope Mirror (PTM) – built specifically for this purpose. These tests, carried out at the Centre Spatial de Liège in Belgium – revealed an unexpected deformation of the reflecting surface exceeding a peek-to-valley of 1µm. Consequently, the test had to be re-run, to identify systematic errors and correct the setting for future tests on the final prototype M1. To avoid the very expensive procedure of developing a new prototype and testing it both at room and cryogenic temperatures, it was decided to carry out some numerical simulations. These analyses allowed first to recognize and understand the reasoning behind the faults occurred during the testing phase, and later to apply the obtained knowledge to a new M1 design to set a defined guideline for future testing campaigns

Enabling planetary science across light-years. Ariel Definition Study Report

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution

Design and modelisation of a straylight facility for space optical instrument

In the framework of instrument calibration, straylight issues are a critical aspect that can deteriorate the optical performances of instrument. To cope with this, a new facility is designed dedicated for in-field and far field straylight characterization: up to 10-8 for in-field and up to 10-10 for far field straylight in the visible to NIR spectral ranges. Moreover, from previous straylight test performed at CSL, vacuum conditions are needed for reaching the 10-10 rejection requirement mainly to avoid air/dust diffusion. The major constrains are to design a straylight facility either for in-field and out-field straylight measurements. That requires high dynamic range at source level and a high radiance point source allowing small diverging collimated beam. Moreover, the straylight facility has to be implemented into a limited envelope and has to be built with vacuum compatible materials and black coating. As checking the facility performance requires an instrument better than the facility itself, that is no easy to find, so that the performances have been estimated through a modelisation into a non sequential optical software. This modelisation is based on CAD importation of mechanical design, on BRDF characteristics of black coating and on statistical averaging of ray tracing at instrument entrance.PROBA

<title>Design and verification of the Far Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (FUV-SI) for the IMAGE mission</title>

peer reviewedThe IMAGE FUV-SI is simultaneously imaging auroras at 121.8 nm and 135.8 nm. The spectrograph design challenge is the efficient rejection of the intense Lyman-alpha emission at 121.6 nm while passing its Doppler-shifted component at 121.8 nm. The FUV-SI opto-mechanical design, analysis integration, and verification of performances against environment are discussed in this paper. In absence of STM environmental constraints at subsystem levels are derived analytically from F.E.M. and used for pre-qualifying optical subsystems

Investigation of spectral impacts on the performance of a concentration device using a Fresnel lens combined with a double junction cell

This experimental study was carried out within the context of high concentration photovoltaics. The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation relating to the quantification of the impacts of the chromatic effect on the performance of a double junction GaInP/GaAs solar cell. Chromatic effects are the result of material dispersion caused by the refractive optics component. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the spectral modification of the incident beam on the whole solar concentrator system performance. Such considerations are fundamental in producing a highly accurate design, with which to achieve the best possible system performance. Efficiency is evaluated within the vicinity of the focus of a Fresnel lens designed for concentration. On the optical axis, rays with different wavelengths are not focalized at the same points. The spectral content of the beam depends, therefore, upon the position of the cell along the optical axis. It is assumed that spectral content modification may have an impact on cell performance and, as a consequence, on system efficiency as a whole. Efficiency of the optical Fresnel lens and of the cell were evaluated in relation to spectral content modification

Stray light testing of WISPR baffle development model

Solar Probe Plus (SPP) is a NASA mission developed to visit and study the sun closer than ever before. SPP is designed to orbit as close as 7 million km (9.86 solar radii) from Sun center. One of its instruments: WISPR (Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe Plus) will be the first ‘local’ imager to provide the relation between the large-scale corona and the in-situ measurements.The Centre Spatial de Liège in Belgium (CSL) owns a stray light test facility for In Field and Out of Field of View stray light measurements. This facility is updated to realize a stray light test on the WISPR Development Model (DM).WISP

Thermal Balance Test of Solar Orbiter EUI Instrument Structural and Thermal Model with 13 Solar Constants

Developed by a European consortium led by the Centre Spatial de Liège in Belgium, the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) is an instrument onboard the Solar Orbiter ESA M-class mission. At its 0.28AU perihelion, the spacecraft will be exposed to a 13 solar constants solar flux. EUI is protected behind the spacecraft heat shield but for three apertures for its telescopes looking at the Sun in the Extreme-UV. To better reject the unwanted visible light and protect 150nm thick EUV filters, Aluminum coated carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics entrance baffles are located at the front of the instrument. The residual absorbed heat by the entrance filters and baffles is evacuated through heat pipes to a dedicated spacecraft thermal interface. To verify its thermal design, the instrument structural and thermal model has been tested in a vacuum chamber with a solar simulator providing the 13 solar constants solar flux at the three entrance apertures and dedicated heaters to model the spacecraft heat shield feedthroughs. To assess the off-pointing performance of the entrance baffles, the instrument was mounted onto a rotating structure inside the chamber. The test setup, results and the thermal model correlation will be presented as well as the calibration of the solar simulator divergence and intensity.Solar Orbiter EU