The StarLight mission is designed to validate the technologies of formation flying and stellar interferometry in space. The mission consists of two spacecraft in an earth-trailing orbit that formation-fly over relative ranges of 40 to 600m to an accuracy of 10 cm. The relative range and bearing of the spacecraft is sensed by a novel RF sensor, the Autonomous Formation Flyer sensor, which provides 2cm and 1mrad range and bearing knowledge between the spacecraft. The spacecraft each host instrument payloads for a Michelson interferometer that exploit the moving spacecraft to generate variable observing baselines between 30 and 125m. The StarLight preliminary design has shown that a formation-flying interferometer involves significant coupling between the major system elements - spacecraft, formation-flying control, formation-flying sensor, and the interferometer instrument. Mission requirements drive innovative approaches for long-range heterodyne metrology, optical design, glint suppression, formation estimation and control, spacecraft design, and mission operation. Experimental results are described for new technology development areas.


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    Title :

    StarLight mission: a formation-flying stellar interferometer


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Interferometry in Space ; 2002 ; Waikoloa,Hawai'i,United States


    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2003-02-26





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English






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