Design and testing of the Lunar Thermal Mapper optics

Rory Evans; Neil Bowles; Simon Calcutt; Keith Nowicki; Cyril Bourgenot; Bethany L. Ehlmann

doi:10.1117/12.3018436

24 August 2024 Design and testing of the Lunar Thermal Mapper optics

Rory Evans, Neil Bowles, Simon Calcutt, Keith Nowicki, Cyril Bourgenot, Bethany L. Ehlmann

Proceedings Volume 13092, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 130922K (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018436
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

The Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) is a compact multi-band push-broom infrared radiometer on the NASA Lunar Trailblazer mission due to launch in 2024. The LTM optics consists of a fast (F1.5) 5-mirror diamond turned free-form system. The mirrors are machined from lightweighted aluminium blanks with integral mounting flexures. The system is assembled on an athermal aluminium optical bench to maintain alignment through the launch and under the challenging thermal environment of lunar orbit. With this novel optical system LTM achieves high resolution infrared imagery in a compact, low mass instrument. We present the design and model performance of the optics, details of the optomechanical design and manufacture, and results from AIT of an optical breadboard and LTM flight model instrument. As the LTM optical system is seeing reuse for future missions (such as MIRMIS on ESAs Comet Interceptor) we discuss the use of the LTM optical design with higher resolution detectors.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Rory Evans, Neil Bowles, Simon Calcutt, Keith Nowicki, Cyril Bourgenot, and Bethany L. Ehlmann "Design and testing of the Lunar Thermal Mapper optics", Proc. SPIE 13092, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 130922K (24 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018436

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