Space Astrophysics with Large Structures: CASES and P/OF
Abstract
Space instruments for remote sensing, of the types used for astrophysics and solar-terrestrial physics among many disciplines, will grow to larger physical sizes in the future. The zero-g space environment does not inherently restrict such growth, because relatively lightweight structures can be used. Active servo control of the structures can greatly increase their size for a given mass. The Pinhole/Occulter Facility, a candidate Space Station attached payload, offers an example: it will achieve 0.2 arc s resolution by use of a 50-m baseline for coded-aperture telescopes for hard X-ray and γ-ray imagers. The CASES experiment (NASA Office of Applications and Space Technology)-deployable on the Space Shuttle as early as 1994-will provide an engineering and scientific demonstration of active structural control in this context.
- Publication:
-
High-Energy Astrophysics in the 21st Century
- Pub Date:
- 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.39695
- Bibcode:
- 1990AIPC..211..134H
- Keywords:
-
- Astrophysics;
- Large Space Structures;
- Pinhole Occulter Facility;
- Spaceborne Astronomy;
- Active Control;
- Solar Physics;
- X Ray Telescopes;
- Spacecraft Instrumentation;
- 95.55.Nd;
- 07.85.+n