System assessment study of the ESA Darwin Mission: concepts trade-off and first iteration design on novel Emma arrangement

Details System assessment study of the ESA Darwin Mission: concepts trade-off and first iteration design on novel Emma arrangement System assessment study of the ESA Darwin Mission: concepts trade-off and first iteration design on novel Emma arrangement

Sep 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007spie.6693e..24r&link_type=abstract

Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets III. Edited by Coulter, Daniel R. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 66

Computer Science

Scientific paper

ESA's Darwin mission is devoted to direct detection and spectroscopic characterisation of Earth-like planets in the thermal infrared domain by nulling interferometry in space. This technique requires deep and stable starlight rejection to an efficiency around 106 over the whole spectral band. Darwin is a major target for Thales Alenia Space, and is considered as a strategic part of its programme roadmap. In this paper we present the main outcomes of the Darwin mission study conducted by Thales Alenia Space from Oct. 2005 to Jul. 2007. Studying this mission in depth, our proposed most promising configuration features spacecraft in non planar arrangement (called Emma). It offers the best science return in terms of number of stars detected and sky accessibility while staying compliant with mass and volume constraints of a single Ariane 5 launch. Our solution dramatically alleviates engineering constraints thanks to a fully non deployable concept. As compared to the more conventional planar arrangement (called Charles), Emma suppresses Single Point Failures and spurious flexible modes, thus maximising both the system reliability and the stability of the dynamical environment. Emma is fully compatible with either 3 or 4 collectors.

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