Terrestrial planet finder (TPF) launch, deployment, and test concepts

Abstract

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space (LMMS) in Sunnyvale, California is studying various aspects of NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) mission for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. TPF is an element of the Astronomical Search for Origins space science theme. It will be an infrared interferometer operating in an orbit designed to detect planets and planetary atmosphere constituents that fall into the category of Earth-like. It will search out planetary systems around the brightest 1000 stars within 13 parsecs (Pc) of our solar system and will characterize spectra of the brightest 50-100 of the detected planetary systems. TPF will be capable of synthetic imaging as well as spectroscopic analysis. TPF, as successor to the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), and ground-based interferometers such as Palomar and Keck, will leverage technology developed for those earlier systems. It will launch near the end of the first decade of the new millenium and will operate for 6 years. This paper describes the results of analysis of tradeoffs among the launch vehicles expected to be available in 2010, packaging and deployment options for the five spacecraft TPF constellation, and concepts for integration and ground test of the system.