Picometer stable scan mechanism for gravitational wave detection in space

Detection and observation of gravitational waves requires extremely accurate displacement measurement in the frequency range 0.03 mHz to 1 Hz. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission will attain this by creating a giant interferometer in space, based on free floating proof masses in three spacecrafts. Due to orbit evolution and...

Meeting highest performance requirements for lowest price and mass for the M1 segment support unit for E-ELT

The largest optical telescope in the world will be the E-ELT. Its primary mirror will be 42m in diameter. This mirror will consist of 984 hexagonal segments that are all individually supported. Each mirror will be controlled in six DOF while local shaping of the segments is provided by so called warping harnesses. These will correct for focus,...

Modeling and prediction of turbulence-induced wavefront distortions

In recent years various researchers have proposed an optimal control approach for the rejection of turbulence-induced wavefront distortions in an AO system. The essential element in the design of an optimal controller is the choice for the turbulence model, which predicts the turbulence to compensate for the inherent delay in the AO control loop...

Cryogenic magnetic bearing scanning mechanism design for the SPICA/SAFARI Fourier Transform Spectrometer

TNO, together with its partners Micromega and SRON, have designed a cryogenic scanning mechanism for use in the SAFARI Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) on board of the SPICA mission. The optics of the FTS scanning mechanism (FTSM) consists of two back-to-back cat's-eyes. The optics are mounted on a central "back-bone" tube which houses all...