Extremely large optical space telescope comprising formation-flying ultrasmall satellites: proof-of-concept experiments of a diffractive optical system on the ground

Naoki Kohara; Toshihiro Tsuzuki; Yuichi Matsuda; Kazuhisa Mitsuda; Kazuma Yamaguchi; Hiromi Morishita; Yuichiro Ezoe; Atsushi Noda

doi:10.1117/12.3018728

26 August 2024 Extremely large optical space telescope comprising formation-flying ultrasmall satellites: proof-of-concept experiments of a diffractive optical system on the ground

Naoki Kohara, Toshihiro Tsuzuki, Yuichi Matsuda, Kazuhisa Mitsuda, Kazuma Yamaguchi, Hiromi Morishita, Yuichiro Ezoe, Atsushi Noda

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13100, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation VI; 1310077 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018728
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Conference Poster

Abstract

To image nearby Earth-like exoplanets (located 10 parsecs from us) with a spatial resolution of less than 1 microarcsecond, which would allow us to distinguish surface environments such as oceans, land, plants, and volcanoes, we would need an optical space telescope with an aperture exceeding 100 km. Given the unprecedented scale and technical difficulties of such a telescope, it is necessary to think beyond the constraints of existing telescopes. Accordingly, we have initiated a study to assess the feasibility of a novel telescope concept. This concept employs a combination of “magnetic formation flight of ultra-small satellites” and a “diffractive optical system”. The advantages of the diffractive optical system include its lightweight focusing optical system, low installation accuracy requirements, low manufacturing cost, and high storability when loaded in a rocket. However, there is no precedent for a telescope with multiple apertures using Diffractive Optical Elements (DOEs). Therefore, for a ground-based demonstration, we have fabricated two types of DOEs: binary amplitude and 4-level phase. The 4-level phase type exhibits significantly higher diffraction efficiency compared to the binary amplitude type, enabling high throughput of the optics. Each DOE is a 30 mm square and part of 100 mm diameter optics with a focal length of 1000 mm. We describe the experimental results of their point spread functions, wavefront errors, and transmittances.

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Naoki Kohara, Toshihiro Tsuzuki, Yuichi Matsuda, Kazuhisa Mitsuda, Kazuma Yamaguchi, Hiromi Morishita, Yuichiro Ezoe, and Atsushi Noda "Extremely large optical space telescope comprising formation-flying ultrasmall satellites: proof-of-concept experiments of a diffractive optical system on the ground", Proc. SPIE 13100, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation VI, 1310077 (26 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018728

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