Disruptive space telescope concepts, designs, and developments: OASIS and Nautilus -INVITED

Dae Wook Kim,Glenn Schneider,Zichan Wang,Aman Chandra,Kira Purvin,Rongguang Liang,Yingying Zhang,Tom D Milster,Oliver Spires,Siddhartha Sirsi,Heejoo Choi,Joel Berkson,Andras Gasper,Henry Quach,Yuzuru Takashima,Alex Bixel,Dániel Apai,Geon Hee Kim,Christopher K Walker,Stefan O’Dougherty,I S Smith ,Devon G Crowe ,Young‐Sik Kim ,Andy V Phan ,C Fellows ,Marcos A Esparza ,Jonathan W Arenberg

doi:10.1051/epjconf/202023806001

Abstract

Two disruptive space telescope concepts are being designed and developed at the University of Arizona; these are the 20-meter OASIS (Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems) and 8.5-meter Nautilus. OASIS combines break-through inflatable aperture and adaptive optics techniques to realize the dream of a 20+ meter class spaceborne terahertz/far-infrared telescope. In the Nautilus visible/near-infrared telescope concept, conventional primary mirrors are replaced by an ~8.5-meter MODE (Multi-order diffractive engineered) lens with 10 times lower areal density and up to 100 times lower mis-alignment sensitivity over traditional systems, enabling large-diameter optical space telescopes. The OASIS and Nautilus concepts have the potential to greatly reduce mission costs and risks compared to the current state of the art.

Highlights

The realization of a very large, space-based telescope for far-infrared/terahertz studies has long been a goal to study the origins of stars, planets, molecular clouds, and galaxies by providing an essential means of following-up on tantalizing results from recent successful missions such as Spitzer and SOFIA
The OASIS and Nautilus concepts have the potential to greatly reduce mission costs and risks compared to the current state of the art
Nautilus is a space telescope concept that builds on an engineered material diffractive-transmissive optical element [3, 4]

Summary

Introduction

The realization of a very large, space-based telescope for far-infrared/terahertz studies has long been a goal to study the origins of stars, planets, molecular clouds, and galaxies by providing an essential means of following-up on tantalizing results from recent successful missions such as Spitzer and SOFIA. The OASIS concept combines break-through technologies utilizing inflatable spherical reflectors and adaptive optics to realize a 20m terahertz space telescope [1,2]. Nautilus is a space telescope concept that builds on an engineered material diffractive-transmissive optical element [3, 4]. The primary mirrors typical of current space telescopes are replaced by an ~8.5-meter MODE (multi-order diffractive engineered) lens with 10 times lower areal density, thereby enabling a lightweight structure. The OASIS and Nautilus concepts have the potential to greatly reduce mission costs and risks compared to current space telescope paradigms through light-weighted optical design and technology

Disruptive telescope concepts

Technology developments

Concluding remarks