Optics for Compact Two-dimensional Energetic Atom (OCTEA)

Science Goal: The overarching science goal of the 3-year Optics for Compact Two-dimensional Energetic Atom (OCTEA) imager project is to determine the dynamics of stormtime ring current (RC) loss. During geomagnetic storms, the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetic field can pump petaJoules of energy into the RC. This input energizes/transports RC particles, and can trigger space weather events affecting satellites, communications, power grids, or humans in space. The RC response to solar wind driving is one of the defining characteristics of geomagnetic storms. Project Overview: The OCTEA project advances the technological readiness of the central optics module for a compact (CubeSat-sized) two-dimensional ENA imager, capable of capturing the dynamics of low-altitude, precipitating RC ions. Science Questions: The OCTEA project targets two science questions. (S1) What are the space-dependent dynamics of low-altitude RC loss during storms? (S2) What is the dynamic interplay between ions and neutrals during low altitude ion precipitation? Method: The 3-year OCTEA project advances the technological readiness (from TRL 3 to 6) of the optics sensor module for a compact (1U-CubeSat-sized) two-dimensional ENA imager. This project is a follow-up to a Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) funded Internal Research (IR) project that designed, fabricated, and built a 1U CubeSat volume, 0.6 kg energetic neutral atom (ENA) optics prototype. OCTEA is an already-assembled full-hardware prototype instrument at TRL 3, and ready for testing needed to advance from TRL 3 to 6. Year 1 centralizes and updates the documentation of OCTEA instrument design and response, completes the raw data mapping on the FPGA, and conducts bench testing to achieve TRL 4. Year 2 achieves first-light and beam calibration (TRL 5). After environmental testing (vibration/shock and thermal vacuum), Year 3 performs post-calibration optimization to culminate in TRL 6. The OCTEA team includes scientists who successfully completed the SwRI-funded IR project that designed and built the OCTEA prototype. Relevance: OCTEA is strongly relevant to several NASA Heliophysics (HP) Goals from the HP Roadmap and the most recent Decadal Survey, as detailed in the OCTEA Science Traceability Matrix (STM). OCTEA is also strongly relevant to the Instrument Technology Development (ITD) sub-element of NASA HTIDeS. OCTEA advances the development of an imaging instrument with great promise for use in scientific investigations on future Heliophysics missions. The OCTEA optics module bears several desirable characteristics: high ENA sensitivity from its ample geometric factor, low mass, and compactness (fits within a 1U CubeSat volume). Science and Technological Impact: The OCTEA optical sensor is intended for a future NASA H-FORT mission to target two science questions of basic importance to the dynamics of stormtime RC loss. In conjunction with separate development of technology for compact ultraviolet and ion filters, the new OCTEA technology is the central component for a light, low-resource ENA imager that is well-suited for deployment on CubeSats and other resource-limited NASA missions.

Support NASA's Heliophysics strategic science objectives to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including space weather. This will be achieved by developing/demonstrating instrumentation technology necessary to address the following science goals: Explore the physical processes in the space environment from the Sun to the Earth and throughout the solar system; Advance our understanding of the connections that link the Sun, the Earth, planetary space environments, and the outer reaches of our solar system; Develop the knowledge and capability to detect and predict extreme conditions in space to protect life and society and to safeguard human and robotic explorers beyond Earth.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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