Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) science payload assembly, integration, and testing plan

Logan Jensen, Johnathan Gamaunt, Paul Scowen, Matthew Beasley, Jim Austin, Todd Veach, Evgenya Shkolnik, Nathaniel Struebel, Daniel Jacobs, Judd Bowman, Tahina Ramiaramanantsoa

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) is a 6U CubeSat mission focused on dual channel, SPARCS far-UV (153-171 nm) and near-UV (260-300 nm), photometric monitoring of nearby M-stars. These data will advance our understanding of the typical day-to-day UV environments around M stars and how these conditions evolve over the stars’ multibillion-year lifespans; critical factors that constrain the potential habitability of planets orbiting M stars, informing the search for life in the galaxy. This paper lays out the detailed plan for the SPARCS science payload assembly, integration, and testing (AIT), including the optical calibration and performance measurement methods for the science telescope, thermal vacuum bakeouts for part cleaning, ongoing contamination monitoring methods, and spectral performance measurements of the assembled payload camera. We will provide updates on AIT proceedings at ASU and the SPARCS Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVAC) test facility built for UV CubeSat missions at Arizona State University’s School of Earth and Space Exploration.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022
Subtitle of host publicationUltraviolet to Gamma Ray
EditorsJan-Willem A. den Herder, Shouleh Nikzad, Kazuhiro Nakazawa
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510653436
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray - Montreal, United States
Duration: Jul 17 2022Jul 22 2022

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume12181

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityMontreal
Period7/17/227/22/22

Keywords

  • AIT
  • Contamination Control
  • CubeSats
  • Far-Ultraviolet Instrumentation
  • Near-Ultraviolet Instrumentation
  • SPARCS
  • Telescopes
  • Thermal vacuum testing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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