The Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT): the mission design solution space and the art of the possible

David Leisawitz; T. Tupper Hyde; Stephen A. Rinehart; Michael Weiss

doi:10.1117/12.789952

12 July 2008 The Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT): the mission design solution space and the art of the possible

David Leisawitz, T. Tupper Hyde, Stephen A. Rinehart, Michael Weiss

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7010, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter; 701028 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.789952
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

Although the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT) was studied as a candidate NASA Origins Probe mission, the real world presents a broader set of options, pressures, and constraints. Fundamentally, SPIRIT is a far-IR observatory for high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy designed to address a variety of compelling scientific questions. How do planetary systems form from protostellar disks, dousing some planets in water while leaving others dry? Where do planets form, and why are some ice giants while others are rocky? How did high-redshift galaxies form and merge to form the present-day population of galaxies? This paper takes a pragmatic look at the mission design solution space for SPIRIT, presents Probe-class and facility-class mission scenarios, and describes optional design changes. The costs and benefits of various mission design alternatives are roughly evaluated, giving a basis for further study and to serve as guidance to policy makers.

Citation Download Citation

David Leisawitz, T. Tupper Hyde, Stephen A. Rinehart, and Michael Weiss "The Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT): the mission design solution space and the art of the possible", Proc. SPIE 7010, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter, 701028 (12 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.789952

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