Pace, Emanuele;
Adler Abreu, Manuel;
Alonso, Gustavo;
Barroqueiro, Bruno;
Bocchieri, Andrea;
Brienza, Daniele;
Brucalassi, Anna;
... Zuppella, Paola; + view all
(2024)
The telescope assembly of the Ariel space mission: an updated overview.
In: Coyle, Laura E and Matsuura, Shuji and Perrin, Marshall D, (eds.)
Proceedings of SPIE: Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave.
(pp. 130921C).
SPIE: Bellingham, WA, USA.
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Abstract
Ariel (Atmospheric Remote-Sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large Survey) is the adopted M4 mission in the framework of the ESA “Cosmic Vision” program. Its purpose is to survey the atmospheres of known exoplanets through transit spectroscopy. The launch is scheduled for 2029. The scientific payload consists of an off-axis, unobscured Cassegrain telescope feeding a set of photometers and spectrometers in the waveband 0.5-7.8 µm and operating at cryogenic temperatures (55 K). The Telescope Assembly is based on an innovative fully aluminium design to tolerate thermal variations to avoid impacts on the optical performance; it consists of a primary parabolic mirror with an elliptical aperture of 1.1 m (the major axis), followed by a hyperbolic secondary that is mounted on a refocusing system, a parabolic re-collimating tertiary and a flat folding mirror directing the output beam parallel to the optical bench. An innovative mounting system based on 3 flexure hinges supports the primary mirror on one of the optical bench sides. The instrument bay on the other side of the optical bench houses the Ariel IR Spectrometer (AIRS) and the Fine Guidance System / NIR Spectrometer (FGS/NIRSpec). The Telescope Assembly is in phase B2 towards the Critical Design Review; the fabrication of the structural and engineering models has started; some components, i.e., the primary mirror and its mounting system are undergoing further qualification activities. This paper aims to update the scientific community on the progress concerning the development, manufacturing and qualification activity of the ARIEL Telescope Assembly.
| Type: | Proceedings paper |
|---|---|
| Title: | The telescope assembly of the Ariel space mission: an updated overview |
| Event: | SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2024 |
| Dates: | 16 Jun 2024 - 22 Jun 2024 |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1117/12.3018735 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.3018735 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10197949 |
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