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Optics Alignment of a Balloon-Borne Far-Infrared Interferometer BETTIIThe Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII) is an 8-m baseline far-infrared (FIR: 30 90 micrometer) interferometer providing spatially resolved spectroscopy. The initial scientific focus of BETTII is on clustered star formation, but this capability likely has a much broader scientific application.One critical step in developing an interferometer, such as BETTII, is the optical alignment of the system. We discuss how we determine alignment sensitivities of different optical elements on the interferogram outputs. Accordingly, an alignment plan is executed that makes use of a laser tracker and theodolites for precise optical metrology of both the large external optics and the small optics inside the cryostat. We test our alignment on the ground by pointing BETTII to bright near-infrared sources and obtaining their images in the tracking detectors.
Document ID
20170003714
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Dhabal, Arnab
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Rinehart, Stephen A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Rizzo, Maxime J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Mundy, Lee
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Sampler, Henry
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Juanola Parramon, Roser
(Universities Space Research Association Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Veach, Todd
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Fixsen, Dale
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Vila Hernandez De Lorenzo, Jor
(Catholic Univ. of America Washington, DC, United States)
Silverberg, Robert F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
April 20, 2017
Publication Date
April 12, 2017
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments and Systems
Publisher: Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments and Systems
Volume: 3
Issue: 2
ISSN: 2329-4124
e-ISSN: 2329-4221
Subject Category
Astronomy
Optics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41859
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG17PT01A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH15CO48B
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX15AD85G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX11AG92A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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