Starshade Alignment Sensing Demonstration Using Starlight
Abstract
From 2009-2013, our team designed, constructed, and operated a low-cost coelostat with COTS controller-software for use in demonstrating telescope-based alignment-sensing for an optically-scaled external occulter (starshade) plus telescope system. The system was tested and operated with various stellar sources in rural Maryland with baselines ranging from 10- to 93-metres (Fresnel-Numbers from 320 down to 18 at center-wavelengths 430-nm to 860-nm). The presentation describes technical challenges and solutions, and the current state of the data reduction.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #223
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AAS...22310907J