Nautilus Observatory: a space telescope array based on very large aperture ultralight diffractive optical elements
Author
Apai, DánielMilster, Tom D.
Kim, Dae Wook
Bixel, Alex
Schneider, Glenn
Rackham, Benjamin V.
Liang, Rongguang
Arenberg, Jonathan
Affiliation
Univ Arizona, Steward ObservUniv Arizona, Lunar & Planetary Lab
Univ Arizona, James C Wyant Coll Opt Sci
Issue Date
2019-09-09Keywords
Diffractive OpticsSpace Telescopes
Ultralight Telescopes
Extrasolar Planets
Nautilus Space Observatory
MODE Lens
Space Telescope Array
Atmospheric Biosignatures
Metadata
Show full item recordPublisher
SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERINGCitation
Apai, D., Milster, T. D., Kim, D. W., Bixel, A., Schneider, G., Rackham, B. V., ... & Arenberg, J. (2019, September). Nautilus Observatory: a space telescope array based on very large aperture ultralight diffractive optical elements. In Astronomical Optics: Design, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems II (Vol. 11116, p. 1111608). International Society for Optics and Photonics.Rights
© 2019 SPIE.Collection Information
This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu.Abstract
We describe a novel space observatory concept that is enabled by very large (8.5m-diameter), ultralight-weight multi-order diffractive lenses that can be cost-effectively replicated. The observatory utilizes an array of identical telescopes with a total combined light collecting area equivalent to that of a 50m-diameter telescope. Here we review the capabilities of a Nautilus unit telescope, the observatory concept, and the technology readiness of the key components. The Nautilus Observatory is capable of surveying a thousand transiting exo-earth candidates to 300 pc for biosignatures, enabling a rigorous statistical exploration of potentially life-bearing planets and the diversity of exo-earths.ISSN
0277-786XVersion
Final published versionae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1117/12.2529428