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Getting NuSTAR on Target: Predicting Mast MotionThe Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is the first focusing high energy (3-79 keV) X-ray observatory operating for four years from low Earth orbit. The X-ray detector arrays are located on the spacecraft bus with the optics modules mounted on a flexible mast of 10.14m length. The motion of the telescope optical axis on the detectors during each observation is measured by a laser metrology system and matches the pre-launch predictions of the thermal flexing of the mast as the spacecraft enters and exits the Earths shadow each orbit. However, an additional motion of the telescope field of view was discovered during observatory commissioning that is associated with the spacecraft attitude control system and an additional flexing of the mast correlated with the Solar aspect angle for the observation. We present the methodology developed to predict where any particular target coordinate will fall on the NuSTAR detectors based on the Solar aspect angle at the scheduled time of an observation. This may be applicable to future observatories that employ optics deployed on extendable masts. The automation of the prediction system has greatly improved observatory operations efficiency and the reliability of observation planning.
Document ID
20170003455
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Forster, Karl
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Madsen, Kristin K.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Miyasaka, Hiroshima
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Craig, William W.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Harrison, Fiona A.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rana, Vikram R.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Markwardt, Craig B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Grenfenstette, Brian W.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 14, 2017
Publication Date
June 27, 2017
Publication Information
Publication: SPIE Proceedings
Publisher: SPIE
Volume: 9910
ISSN: 0277-786X
e-ISSN: 1996-756X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Statistics And Probability
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41251
Meeting Information
Meeting: Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems VI
Location: Edinburgh
Country: United Kingdom
Start Date: June 27, 2016
End Date: July 1, 2016
Sponsors: International Society for Optical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA small explorer
mast thermal
NuSTAR
Metrology
Science Operations
extendable mast
X-ray optics

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