Overview, design, and flight results from SuperBIT: a high-resolution, wide-field, visible-to-near-UV balloon-borne astronomical telescope

L. Javier Romualdez; Steven J. Benton; Anthony M. Brown; Paul Clark; Christopher J. Damaren; Tim Eifler; Aurelien A. Fraisse; Mathew N. Galloway; John W. Hartley; Mathilde Jauzac; William C. Jones; Lun Li; Thuy Vy T. Luu; Richard J. Massey; Jacqueline Mccleary; C. Barth Netterfield; Susan Redmond; Jason D. Rhodes; Jürgen Schmoll; Sut-Ieng Tam

doi:10.1117/12.2307754

6 July 2018 Overview, design, and flight results from SuperBIT: a high-resolution, wide-field, visible-to-near-UV balloon-borne astronomical telescope

L. Javier Romualdez, Steven J. Benton, Anthony M. Brown, Paul Clark, Christopher J. Damaren, Tim Eifler, Aurelien A. Fraisse, Mathew N. Galloway, John W. Hartley, Mathilde Jauzac, William C. Jones, Lun Li, Thuy Vy T. Luu, Richard J. Massey, Jacqueline Mccleary, C. Barth Netterfield, Susan Redmond, Jason D. Rhodes, Jürgen Schmoll, Sut-Ieng Tam

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10702, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VII; 107020R (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2307754
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2018, Austin, Texas, United States

Abstract

Balloon-borne astronomy is a unique tool that allows for a level of image stability and significantly reduced atmospheric interference without the often prohibitive cost and long development time-scale that are characteristic of space-borne facility-class instruments. The Super-pressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT) is a wide-field imager designed to provide 0.02" image stability over a 0.5 degree field-of-view for deep exposures within the visible-to-near-UV (300-900 um). As such, SuperBIT is a suitable platform for a wide range of balloon-borne observations, including solar and extrasolar planetary spectroscopy as well as resolved stellar populations and distant galaxies. We report on the overall payload design and instrumentation methodologies for SuperBIT as well as telescope and image stability results from two test flights. Prospects for the SuperBIT project are outlined with an emphasis on the development of a fully operational, three-month science flight from New Zealand in 2020.

Conference Presentation

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L. Javier Romualdez, Steven J. Benton, Anthony M. Brown, Paul Clark, Christopher J. Damaren, Tim Eifler, Aurelien A. Fraisse, Mathew N. Galloway, John W. Hartley, Mathilde Jauzac, William C. Jones, Lun Li, Thuy Vy T. Luu, Richard J. Massey, Jacqueline Mccleary, C. Barth Netterfield, Susan Redmond, Jason D. Rhodes, Jürgen Schmoll, and Sut-Ieng Tam "Overview, design, and flight results from SuperBIT: a high-resolution, wide-field, visible-to-near-UV balloon-borne astronomical telescope", Proc. SPIE 10702, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VII, 107020R (6 July 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2307754

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