Partially filled aperture interferometric telescopes: achieving large aperture and coronagraphic performance
Abstract
The exponential growth in exoplanet studies and science cases requiring high contrast observations is a powerful reason for developing very large optical systems optimized for narrow-field science. Concepts which cross the boundary between fixed aperture telescopes and interferometers, combined with technologies that decrease the system moving mass, can violate the cost and mass scaling laws that make conventional large-aperture telescopes relatively expensive. Here we describe concepts of large, filled-aperture (Colossus) and partially filled aperture (ParFAIT) interferometric optical/IR telescope systems which break this scaling relation. These systems are dedicated to high dynamic range science such as detecting life and even civilizations on Earth-like planets.
- Publication:
-
Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VI
- Pub Date:
- August 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1117/12.2233451
- Bibcode:
- 2016SPIE.9906E..2BM