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The Dark Energy Space Telescope
The Dark Energy Space Telescope
Bert A. Pasquale1
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 551
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Robert A. Woodruff2
Lockheed Martin Space Systems
Littleton, CO 80125
Tod R. Lauer3
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
Tucson, AZ 85719
Dominic J. Benford4
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 665
Greenbelt, MD 20771
ABSTRACT
We have proposed the development of a low-cost space telescope, Destiny, as a concept for the NASA/DOE
Joint Dark Energy Mission. Destiny is a 1.65m space telescope, featuring a near-infrared (0.85-1.7m) survey
camera/spectrometer with a large flat-field Field Of View (FOV). Destiny will probe the properties of dark
energy by obtaining a Hubble diagram based on Type Ia supernovae (SN) and a large-scale mass power
spectrum derived from weak lensing distortions of field galaxies as a function of redshift.
Dark Energy, Space Telescope, Supernovae, Type Ia, Three Mirror Anastigmat, Weak Lensing, Near-Infrared
1. INTRODUCTION
Large support exists within the astronomical and science communities for dark energy space probes. In 1998,
results from the Hubble Space Telescope determined that the universe was expanding at an accelerated rate, rather than
slowing due to gravitational pull. Furthermore, it was shown not to always be the case, and that the acceleration was
increasing as the force within the vacuum of space overpowered gravity’s fading attraction between bodies. Since then,
understanding more about the nature of this vacuum force, or “dark energy,” has been of great interest.
DESTINY, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, is one of three proposals under development for the Joint Dark
Energy Mission (JDEM) to measure the effect of dark energy. The desire is to provide more insight to dark energy’s
nature and it’s role in the universe’s expansion acceleration. DESTINY’s approach is direct and simple: to measure the
expansion history of the universe to 1% accuracy using observations of Type Ia supernovae (SN) and weak lensing
1
Bert Pasquale: ph: (301) 286-1305; e-mail bert.pasquale@nasa.gov
2
Robert Woodruff: ph: (303) 918-5639; e-mail Robert.a.woodruff@lmco.com
3
Tod Lauer: e-mail: lauer@noao.edu
4
Dominic Benford: ph: (301) 286-8771; e-mail dominic.benford@nasa.gov
DESTINY will not react to supernovae events, but rather observe those that occur within its survey field. With the
“all-spectrum, all the time” observations, DESTINY will regularly observe the beginnings of supernovae before they are
identified, resulting in complete spectro-photometric time series of each SN event. By amassing such a large amount of
spectral and wide-field survey data, additional scientific analysis can be performed on the data by other interested
parties. By using components with complete space heritage and focusing the instrumentation to accomplish needed
space-based observations, the size and cost of the mission is held to a minimum. This will allow DESTINY to provide a
high value:cost ratio to the science community.
In order to meet the 1% accuracy goal (in z = 0.1 bins representing a period of 1010 years), DESTINY’s
observations will have to constrain the dark energy equation of state (w) parameters wo to 0.05 and wa to 0.20. (See
Figure 2.1.1) Ground-based observations will be leveraged by combining their abilities (measurements of SN 0 < z <
0.8) with DESTINY’s unique space-based observations. (See Figure 2.1.2) DESTINY leverages the maturity of the
supernovae standard candle technique with data from existing and ongoing SN studies.
0.2
0.5
WL
-0.5
I I -0.2
-1.4 -1.2 -1 -0.8 -06
w0 .
Figure 2.1.1 - Predicted Survey Results (Assuming a flat universe) Figure 2.1.2 DESTINY SN Ia coverage.
The two-year mission will observe approximately 3,000 supernovae events with redshifts z from 0.4 to 1.7 (with a
goal of >100 SN per z = 0.1 bin.) Photometric accuracy will have to be better than 1%, requiring a precise calibration
method. With such accuracy in the spectroscopy, z can be determined to ±0.005. Each SN in the survey field will be
observed on a 5-day cadence for accurate luminosity-decay correction. Broadband filter survey of the field will provide
host galaxy morphology and the location of the SN within the host. Subtracting the field without the supernovae from
the field with the event yields the desired spectrum. (See Figure 2.2.1)
Following the SN Ia survey, 1 full year of Weak Lensing (WL) observations covering 1,200 square degrees will be
performed. WL data is used to determine the cosmological growth of structure and angular distances with redshift.
Assuming a density of ~60 galaxies (to 26th magnitude) per square arcminute, DESTINY will image the shapes of 3x108
galaxies. Shapes will be determined by a <1m bandpass filter, while two other filters and the GRISM spectrum provide
color and redshift data. The dark energy equation of state can be measured from the lensing power spectrum.
DESTINY’s independent weak lensing results will put complimentary constraints on w and will be combined with
ground based surveys to achieve z of 0.03.
Bridging the gap from Science goals to implementation are the system requirements. DESTINY’s requirements are
mainly driven by the SN Ia survey:
DESTINY is designed as a single-instrument with multiple uses. On overview of the subsystems is shown in Figure
2.5.1. The Optical Telescope Assembly’s (OTA) 1.65m clear aperture provides 2/3 the resolution of the Hubble Space
Telescope. The OTA is a Three Mirror Anastigmat (TMA) that relays its exit pupil to the Instrument Assembly and
forms images for the Focal Plane Arrays (FPA). A flip-in diffuser allows a selectable light source to provide a flat-field
calibration field to the detectors. The sun-facing solar panels are on the side of the spacecraft opposite the focal plane
electronics, allowing them easy access to the deep-space facing radiator panels. All electronics are isolated from the
optical bench near the Spacecraft bus. The following sections will examine the subassemblies in detail.
5
Note that the two-year supernovae survey will repeat the science fields, in the same orientation, twice, ensuring both a clean
reference for all supernovae spectrums and observing > 3,000 events.
Telescope Assembly
+
NEP/
SEP
Crucial to DESTINY’s success is the Integration and Test procedure, including a full end-to-end space environment
systems test. Facilities such as Lockheed-Martin’s Delta test chamber (see figure 2.6.1) are capable of full system
thermal vacuum testing. Tests include optical alignment, PSF performance, throughput, stability, detector readouts,
calibration, thermal control and vibration survival.
Figure 2.6.1– Destiny model shown undergoing Science Calibration Test in LM Sunnyvale Delta chamber.
3. OPTICAL SYSTEM
DESTINY’s Telescope is a Three Mirror Anastigmat, consisting of a Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Mirrors. A
Fold Mirror is used to position the Tertiary to the side of the Optical Axis, resulting in the Focal Planes being located on
the opposite side. The Optical Telescope forms a pupil which is accessible to the science instrument’s filter wheel. The
wheel contains bandpass filters and the dispersive element. Prior to the pupil, a long-pass dichroic filter reflects the
visible light into a fine guidance channel, which contains an additional fold mirror to position it’s focal plane near the
science FPA. These optical components and paths are shown in Figure 3.1.1.
The Focal Plane Array of the science channel uses sixteen three-side buttable sensors to produce a 16K x 4K
imaging array. The sensors use 18-micron pixels with a OTA platescale of 150 mili-arcseconds/pixels. The Focal Plane
IFOV is henceforth 0.729 x 0.177 degrees (0.129 deg2).
DESTINY carries one Science Channel and one Guidance Channel. The FOV for these channels is determined by
the detector layouts at the Focal Plane Arrays, and is offset from the Optical Axis of the Telescope by 0.35°. The two
channels share the same FOV envelope, but the Guider detectors occupy the same angular space as the two detectors at
either end of the Science FPA. This is shown in Figure 3.2.1. The fold mirror is preceded by an Entrance Aperture Plate
(EAP), an oversized internal field stop which is useful for stray light control.
Figure 3.2.1 – DESTINY’s Focal Plane Arrays overlaid in the Field of View
The DESTINY OTA is a 1.65 meter diameter clear aperture (aperture stop is at Primary Mirror) Three Mirror
Anastigmat (TMA). The zero-expansion mirror materials and metering system provides an athermal design. The system
Several qualities of the Three Mirror Anastigmat design make it ideal for DESTINY’s survey:
• On-axis in aperture and Off-axis in field
• Conics correct Spherical, Coma, Astigmatism
• Geometry corrects Petzval (Very wide Flat-field)
• Distortion remains, but can be highly characterized
• The OTA, with an optical mass of 905 kg, is separately testable independent unit.
• TMA designs are well understood and have been used in numerous flight designs.
The Science Instrument is shown in Figure 3.4.1. The OTA relays its exit pupil to the science instrument for
bandpass and spectral analysis. The science channel provides both wide FOV imaging spectroscopy and bandpass
filtered imagery. The filter wheel exchanges components at exit pupil: five bandpass filters and one
diffraction/dispersing element (GRISM – a transmission grating on a prism.) The dichroic beamsplitter is a long-pass
filter that reflects the visible light into the Fine Guidance Channel prior to the pupil. Because it is at an angle, the
dispersive element and bandpass filters are positioned to maintain the image quality. The five bandpass filters range from
850 to 1700 nm, and are used for both system calibration and image analysis.
Tertiary Mirror
Dichroic
/Fold Mirror
Beamsplitter
Filter Wheel
Element
/ Fine Guider
Focal
Plane Array
Science Focal
Plane Array 250.00 MM
GRISMs have heritage in the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera design. A feature of the GRISM is that
the diffractive and dispersive strengths can be designed to disperse the spectrum in the focal plane while correcting the
deviation of the low end of the spectral range. This leaves one end of the spectral band fixed at the non-dispersed
imaging position, allowing both imaging and spectroscopy of the same FOV on the same image plane location.
DESTINY requires dispersive image spectroscopy from 850 to 1700 nm with a resolution R~ 75. (Because R() =
/D l, R varies over the spectral range.) The diffractive groove efficiency is about 80%, though blaze fall-off reduces
effective at both ends. The spectral resolution is demonstrated in Figure 3.4.2.
The Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) channel shares all the OTA components as the science channel, with only a fold
mirror non-common. This minimizes the potential for boresight errors between the channels. Its exit pupil is identical to
the Science Channel, but contains only visible light reflected from the dichroic beamsplitter. Henceforth its platescale is
also identical, and the FGS benefits from full OTA aperture and has a tight PSF.
The FGS FPA consists of only 4 sensors, two located at each end of the science FOV. The FSG may employ either
CCD Si technology or HgCdTe identical to the science channel. The CCD allows for smaller pixels, shorter wavelength
reach, and higher temperature.
The FGS provides 10 mas absolute pointing capability, and allows for the spacecraft to meet jitter (30 mas) and drift
(10 mas) requirements.
4. SUBSYSTEMS
The Sensor Chip Assemblies (SCA) for DESTINY have to meet requirements relating to architecture, quantum
efficiency, read noise and dark current. One candidate for both the Science Focal Plane Array and the Fine Guidance
Sensor is the Teledyne Imaging Systems HAWAII-2RG (HgCdTe Astronomy Wide Area Infrared Imager with 2K x 2K
resolution, Reference pixels and Guide mode.) The distinguishing characteristic is that it is three-side buttable, as seen
in Figure 4.1.1, allowing the creation of a FPA with a near-continuous strip of 2-by-X wide detectors. The 2048x2048
18 m pixels provide the needed resolution. They cover the required wavelength range from 0.85 to 1.7 m, and have a
quantum efficiency > 80%. The materials and structure have heritage of being used in JWST and HST Wide-Field
Camera 3.
Figure 4.1.1 – The Hawaii-2RG 3-side Buttable SCA for the Fine Guidance Sensor instrument on JWST.
The structures for the metering tube, chassis and optical bench are of great importance to the success of meeting
DESTINY’s science goals. The materials used in various subsystems are called out in table 4.2.1:
4.3 Mechanisms
The DESTINY instrument employs several mechanisms to perform its functions. All mechanisms are single-fault
tolerant with a fail-safe mode. The mechanisms have a thermal operating range of -20 to 40C and are listed in Table
4.3.1:
4.4 Calibration
The sensors for the DESTINY science observations must have calibration over the entire bandwidth to <1%. This
will require re-calibration every 3 months, which can be scheduled as part of the regular roll maneuver and station
keeping. The system will be fully calibrated in ground tests using external flat sources, and correlated to the internal
flats, providing an accurate transform (presuming a stable OTA system.) For absolute photometric scaling, DA WD stars
will be raster-scanned.
The internal flat fielding system is henceforth crucial to DESTINY’s scientific measurements. The system uses
redundant tungsten halogen bulbs in an integrating sphere. The light source output is directed down a tube to a diffuser
point source. This uniform, source illuminates another diffuser plate that flips fully into the science beam behind the
Primary Mirror during calibration. This is shown in figure 4.4.1. Very little signal strength is needed (or desired) for the
calibration process.
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Sphere
nternaI!j
dccusc
Lp5btTube
— Ou€pu€
Diffuser
urlilborm
output)
n-5eam Diffuser --
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Figure 4.4.1 – The DESTINY Calibration Source optical schematic and Mechanical concept showing the Flip-in diffuser.
By performing the regular flat-field calibrations with several bandpass filters, an accurate “light cube” profile (as
shown in Figure 4.4.2) of the entire detector array can be maintained throughout the mission. Changes such as pixel
degradation and throughput loss can be tacked and trended. Spectrums from the science field which cut diagonally
through the cube (as a function of dispersion and location) can henceforth be quantified to <1% accuracy.
DESTINY’s L2 orbit provides an excellent thermal environment for passive (radiative) cooling of the FPA.
Earthshine and moonshine are negligible, and the overall thermal environment is very stable. Because the spacecraft
rolls 90° every 3 months, the sun always stays within a ±45° range, and only changes position by 1° per day.
The Thermal requirements vary for the various subassemblies. The optics in the OTA and Instrument assembly are
held between 280 ±0.2 K°, slightly cold-biased to reduce detector noise due to OTA blackbody in-band radiation (~ 10%
of zodi background noise.) The SM Baffle and the Outer Barrel Baffle will be kept <270 ±0.2 K° while the struts are
held at 280 ±0.2 K°. The 1.7 um HgCdTe SCA in the FPA are held to 140 ±1 K°, while the “cold box” background
radiation shield is cooled to 170 ±1 K°.
4.6 Contamination
Contamination is tied to thermal control for outgassing and prevention of accumulation of ice and other particulates.
Hydrocarbons can cause a reduction in IR throughput and increase the radiator’s alpha, Water (ice) buildup can cause
significant throughput and scattering performance losses. Controlled outgassing of the composite materials can reduce
water presence, and electrically conductive thermal coatings can reduce charged particle buildup. The final requirements
on contamination would be balanced with surface roughness specifications and other stray light concerns.
DESTINY’s observations are highly automated and the survey routine eliminates all time-critical responsive
operations. The SN Ia survey cycle is repeated approximately every 5.5 days, and includes the following activities:
• The detector array covers 0.13 square degrees. Each of these fields is integrated and dithered for 8 hours.
• DESTINY collects data on 12 contiguous fields in the Northern Ecliptic Pole (NEP), then flips and does the
same for 12 fields in the Southern Ecliptic Pole (SEP). This process is repeated continuously.
• Once per day, DESTINY would perform a SSR data dump downlink.
• Every three months, DESTINY rotates on it’s optical axis 90° to keep the sun facing it’s same quadrant. Station
keeping, momentum unloading, calibration, and non-dispersive bandpass imaging occur at this time, then the
spectral surveying continues.
The weak lensing survey is a single epoch survey of 1,200 square degrees with contiguous subfields of at least 10°
extents. The overall survey is split into equal regions near the NEP and SEP.
DESTINY will operate in a large-amplitude L2 orbit such that the orbit does not experience any Earth or lunar
shadows at L2. (See Figure 5.2.1) Overall V adjustments for 6 year mission would be less than 150 m/s.
5.3 Pointing
To achieve the resolution required for DESTINY’s science goals, the spacecraft must be equip with precision point
capability. Precision pointing includes overall spacecraft bus pointing and focal plane guiding. There are several
systems and methods involved, including:
Star tracker provides absolute pointing
Focal plane guider produces multiple star position offsets to provide tip, tilt, and roll errors
Focal plane guider uses visible detectors, reading out subarrays for multiple (perhaps 10) stars.
Spacecraft provides relative offsets with bus-mounted gyroscopes
The Altitude Control Computer combines these elements to provide the required stability (1-sigma Gaussian
distribution) of 30 mili-arcseconds over a 900 second exposure. Drift (a vector change in distribution centroid during the
exposure) must be limited to 10 mili-arcseconds. However, if drift is known, algorithms can somewhat reduce it’s effect
during the up-the-ramp sampling process.
The Missions Operation Center will be responsible for commanding and controlling the spacecraft as well as
downloading and collecting, processing, and archiving the data. DESTINY’s 64-Megapixel science array completes it’s
read every 900 seconds. This can generate 100Gbits of raw data per day. With a goal of >98% data completeness, and
using Ka-band 50 Mbps connection, we can expect about 34 minutes of daily data download time.
Daily tasks of spacecraft monitoring and control and health & safety analysis, trending, orbit determination, contact
scheduling, and raw data processing and distribution occur at the Missions Operation Center. The Science Operations
Center (at STScI) performs science trending and validation and calibration to produce Spectrophotometric images. Data
is processed and archived for public use. The DESTINY Science Analysis Center (at LANL) will identify the SN Ia
events and extract and calibrate the spectra as a function of time for each supernovae. They will also provide the
spectrophotometry for weak lensing events. All data will be archived for the science teams and public use.
The ground operations must interact with the onboard flight software (FSW) for the mission to function. FWS
provides all executive functions, and executes and manages the instrument modes, mechanisms, fine pointing, detector
electronics readout (both for science and fine pointing, w/up-the-ramp sampling) and all thermal monitoring and control.
6. CONCLUSION
DESTINY’s design has been guided by the principles of complete heritage and using the minimum space instrument
required for full functionality. The optical and operational system is a well developed concept built on a highly
automated “always on” survey to advance scientific goals. DESTINY will provide complimentary data to ground based
observations in the quantifying of dark energy’s properties and its effect on the history and future of the universe. The
data collected from the supernovae Type Ia and Weak Lensing galaxy surveys would be the basis for many future
studies, and the extended mission life of the spacecraft will provide additional value to the scientific community.
Acknowledgements