Realignment and performance verification o f t wo-mirror focal corrector optics for FIREBall-2 using computer generated hologram (CGH)

Simran Agarwal, Aafaque R. Khan, Harrison Bradley, Haeun Chung, Ipek Nazende Kerkeser, Olivia Jones, Erika Hamden, David Schiminovich, Bruno Milliard, Vincent Picouet, Drew M. Miles, Ignacio Cevallos-Aleman, Zeren Lin, Jessica S. Li, Nicole Melso, Christopher Martin, Keri Hoadley, Gillian Kyne, Shouleh Nikzad, David Valls-Gabaud

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Faint Intergalactic-medium Redshifted Emission Balloon (FB-2), a collaborative NASA/CNES suborbital balloon telescope, targets the mapping of faint UV emissions from the circumgalactic medium around low-redshift galaxies. The initial September 2018 flight e ncountered c hallenges, i ncluding a b alloon b reach and subsequent damage during landing, impacting the two large telescope mirrors and the critical focal corrector. Likely due to landing shock, the focal corrector experienced misalignment beyond tolerance, necessitating reevaluation and realignment. This paper outlines a comprehensive approach to realigning the focal corrector using a computer-generated hologram (CGH) and a Zygo interferometer for feedback. The CGH enables precise alignment corrections in various degrees of freedom, while interferometer feedback aids in reducing aberrations. The paper details the methodology for optical alignment, surface measurement, and performance evaluation of the focal corrector, emphasizing its successful integration into the FB-2 spectrograph in early 2023 for the September 2023 flight.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024
Subtitle of host publicationUltraviolet to Gamma Ray
EditorsJan-Willem A. den Herder, Shouleh Nikzad, Kazuhiro Nakazawa
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510675094
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: Jun 16 2024Jun 21 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume13093
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period6/16/246/21/24

Keywords

  • CGM
  • Computer Generated Holograms
  • Interferometric alignment
  • Optical Alignment
  • Optical Metrology
  • Scientific-ballooning
  • UV Astronomy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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