Precision-Actuated Kinematic Mount Design for a Balloon-borne Three Mirror Anastigmat

Abstract

This project involved designing, fabricating, assembling, and testing the bench-top version of a three mirror anastigmat (TMA) for the Superpressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT). The design of this test bench entailed creating precision-actuated mirror mounts that allow a user to alter the orientation and focus of the primary and tertiary mirrors, with the purpose of minimizing the aberrations in the system caused by environmental disturbances. By reorienting the telescope mirrors, the path of the ray of light can be redirected. With this redirection of the beam, the Point Spread Function (PSF) changes, showing the spread of light over the image plane. It is now possible to create an active control system to stabilize the mirrors and generate the sharpest PSF in a changing environment. The optical test bench can be used to verify mission requirements and test the active control approaches for mirror auto-alignment.